Back in the saddle?

April 26, 2024

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Location:

Phoenix,AZ,

Member Since:

Jul 23, 2007

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

5K: 22:15 (January 2005);
10K-48:40 (November 2005)
Half-marathon: 1:50:25 (, March 2006);
Marathon: 3:54:16 (January 2006)

Short-Term Running Goals:

BQ

Finish half marathon in January 2010

Run consistently

Lose pregnancy weight + 10 pounds

Long-Term Running Goals:

Complete an Ironman triathlon; run the Comrades Marathon in South Africa (55 miles)
Marathon: sub 3:30
Half marathon: sub 1:40
10K: sub 42 minutes
5K: sub 21 minutes

Find out what my potential is and reach it.

Personal:

I've been running since high school (mid-1990s) and do pretty well when I'm focused on a goal. My main problem is running consistently when I'm NOT training for something specific. I'm an attorney, and I've been married to my husband, also a runner, for 5 1/2 years. We live in Phoenix, Arizona. We had a beautiful baby girl, Caroline, in August 2009.

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Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	0.00	Year:	0.00

Thu, Jan 03, 2008

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Crosstraining miles	Total Miles
3.00	2.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	5.00

Tonight's run was a real struggle. I planned on running 7, but once I got out there, I knew it was not going to happen. I had a cramp in my side for most of the run. The plan was to start easy and finish with 2 miles at race pace. I did it (kind of), but none of it felt easy. This happened during my last marathon taper. I had some crappy workouts. I crashed and burned at the race, but still ran a 17-minute PR. So hopefully by tomorrow I will have put this run out of my mind.

Total time: 47:30, average pace: 9:30. Mile splits: 9:35, 9:40, 9:51, 9:15, 9:08. Blah!

I haven't decided my goal for the race yet. I think I could PR if I go all out (sub-3:54:16), but I don't know if I want to do that. I take a very long time to recover from marathons, and I have a lot of work ahead of me if I want to qualify for Boston by June. I think I might pace my friend, whose goal is to break 4:00, and that would be a great race for me. But my biggest goal will be to not hit the wall. I think I would be ecstatic to finish in just under 4:00 and still feeling good. We shall see...

Comments

From Jody on Thu, Jan 03, 2008 at 21:54:07

I always experience the same crappy runs a few weeks before a big race, but end up having a good race. You have a great marathon PR, so I am sure you will do great!!

From Sasha Pachev on Fri, Jan 04, 2008 at 11:52:14

Some thoughts on your training:

* Keep the mileage above 40 a week. Slow down as much as it takes for this do be doable week after week.

* Do not taper for intermediate races.

* Make sure your diet is clean. Follow a simple rule - if it is not good, do not put it in your body. No excuses. If it is good, eat to satiation, no limits.

* Sleep at every opportunity.

Also, some info would be helpful to figure out your areas of strength and weakness:

* current height/weight

* your weight as a teenager once you've stopped growing (to get an idea if your current weight is optimal or not).

* to measure Quality X (see the discussion on the forum) - once you are recovered from the marathon, go to a high school track and run two laps (800 m) all out. The first lap needs to be fast enough for the second lap to hurt. Your legs should get very heavy, you should feel like a bear is riding on your back. You should not feel like you could go another lap at that pace when you are finished. Make sure to record lap splits.

From Shauna on Fri, Jan 04, 2008 at 12:40:54

Sasha, thanks for the advice. My current height and weight is 5'8", 144 pounds. My normal weight is 135-137, but I gained some weight last year and can't seem to take it off. When I stopped growing as a teenager, my weight was 138-144. I feel and look my best at 135. I've never really been lower than that. The nutritional aspect is definitely my weakest link.

I'll look forward to the Quality X test after the marathon.

From MichelleL on Fri, Jan 04, 2008 at 12:55:39

I would say race it and do it all out, but that's just my style. You'll have to recover one way or another from a marathon, if you race this one, and know you have done your best, then this race will be a better benchmark of "where I am" so that you can know where to go from here.

I agree with Sasha not to taper for intermediate races, including 1/2 marathons, except perhaps to not do a long run within 2 days of the race. Nutrition is a battle I think we all face. I think working in a stressful job doesn't help. I am always fighting my demons who want to grab a fistful of cookies when I am grappling with a tough work problem.

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