Buttsweat Towel� season has begun

Great start to the new year! 2015 will be yours!

Yes, 2015 will be....WHAA?

Happy New Year Joe! 2013 looks like a good year to run a sub 3.

Man, look what happened to you while I wasn't paying attention. 9 seconds from being under 3 hours? Damn.

Nice it warmed up for you for your afternoon run :-) Hope you didn't get dehydrated!

That 100 looks awesome on the graph view! I had a feeling 22 was going to be the long run number today! :)

Awesome training through your whole cycle Joe, April 15 is going to be a well deserved Special day for you!

JG - oh yeah the graph view! It does look nice up there...thanks!

That kind of humidity is supposed to make you feel sluggish. Nice job getting the miles back up this month after last month's "down" time.

I've been watching the dew point around here like it's my job.

No pain, no gain. And you do want to gain. Nice job.

I'll just tell you this... none of the fast 800m races in the all-time record books have been run when its 25 degrees outside!

That's a really good effort in cold weather.

Extra credit for speedwork in the cold. That lung burning is the best/worst feeling ever. Reminds me of backcountry snowboarding, getting too low in a ravine and having to climb back out. Exhausting.

Hey Joe, you wanna try some of that dodgy ASS - sometimes called ais, go on, you know you want to give it a bash:)

Nice session. It takes a bit of time getting used to the old track. Hurts like hell but it's good medicine.

thanks guys - not exactly awe-inspiring speeds, but maybe I was expecting a little too much initially.

Joe - this is a good starting point in understanding the problem. As Jake pointed out, the times should be taken with a grain of salt. Cold weather and lack of practice would skew the results quite a bit.

I am going to guess that your true 100 m speed is around 14.5 and your true 800 m speed is under 2:20 which is good enough to run at least a 2:45 marathon. However, it would be good if you could prove it. So I would suggest the following workouts to get accustomed to high speeds and middle distance pain once it gets a little warmer and drier:

10x100 meters with 100 meter jog in between. Target around 17.0 for the first four, then 16.5 for the next four, and the last two sprint your guts out.

Another workout (to be done 2-3 days after the 10x100) is this. We start with 10x200 in 35 with 200 meter jog in between. Once you succeed (e.g after two weeks), make it 5x400 in 70 with 400 meter jog in between. Once you succeed, 3x500 in 1:27.5 with as much rest in between as you need. Then try the 800 meter time trial and see if you can go under 2:20.

Those workouts actually do have some benefit for the marathon for somebody who has never done them. Being forced to maintain a very fast pace compels the body to find the most efficient form as a matter of survival. This helps improve in all distances - 100 meters through the marathon.

It would also be good to do those workouts with somebody who could pace you. See if you can get acquainted either with a local top runner or a collegiate runner and have him help you.

Sasha, thanks for those workouts. I will put them in my plan - they are short enough that I should be able to fit them in almost anywhere as I build up for Boston. I definitely didn't have anything that fast in my plan! I appreciate the help.

Your muscles were probably frozen in place because of the cold!

Hey, don't knock that pace. That would be fast for me right now!

IJR - yes, yes, let's go with that.

Tracy - it actually felt fast for me too this morning.

Good run Joe! You should feel really good going into the race and I know you'll do well :-)

Great workout Joe. I like that session a lot. I'll probably do something very similar next weekend, since my 1/2 is a week later than yours. You ran that pretty much perfectly, even pacing, kept the rest short... well done.

I'd say you have a very good shot of cracking 1:23. You are definitely in PR shape!

Those are great times. I like the simplicity of the routine. If there are more than 5 "steps" to the routine, I get lost in "What am I to do next?" kind of thoughts. I'll plan on copying this later. (Not the times, just the workout!)

Crowded track?

Great workout Joe! Super consistent miles throughout - looking strong for the half. Take some extra Vitamin C to get over that cold.

It's a solid workout, Joe. I've done 7 x 1 mile and the Hanson's 4 x 2 mile. I think I'll toss this in. It always amazes me with half marathons how you can run 6-8 miles broken up and effort feels easier during a race (for obvious reasons). I love the distance.

Its true - half-marathon pace is really hard to nail on longer tempos. If you feel good enough to run more than 5-6 miles @ HM pace, you are almost wasting a race effort if you go further than that. Breaking it up is the way to go most times, and its amazing how it can come together on race day... even though that pace almost never feels sustainable for 13.1 during training.

IJR - thanks - I think you're set up for PR as well next weekend.

Tom - nah - had the track to myself, as usual, which is good because I hug the hell out of the inside of lane 1.

Andrea - emergen-c....I have a stockpile now!

Jason - both of those sound tough too. I guess you never really know until you hit the first couple miles of the race itself.

Jake - I kept thinking about the 10K @ HMP workout you just did and wondered if maybe I should gut it out and keep running. But I was really sucking wind toward the end so it was probably the right call for today.

Anyway, I'll definitely need some of that "race day magic" stuff to get away with 6:20 pace for the whole race.

You're a speed demon! Super workout.

Awesome workout Joe. I'm pretty sure everyone I know is getting over flu/cold/etc. right now? This has been a rough season.

I know you will rock Houston.

Sweet workout yesterday!

Happy New Year Fast Joe!

58 miles on the year???? Dang!

I have to take down Christmas lights, too.

I've run into that being healthy enough to run thing, too.. Nice workout yesterday. Looks like you're right on track for your HM. Good luck!

You wouldn't have that problem if the lights weren't up in the first place..... Then again knowing that those two girls of yours.....ya, you're doomed for failure no matter how you look at it!

the crud. it's everywhere. nice run!

Glad you're feeling better and getting some warmer weather!

I think you're ready. What's your goal?

A-goal is 1:22:59. B-goal would just be a PR of any kind.

Good news that you're on the mend. Looking at some of the sessions you've done recently, you sghould be good for taking a chunk off your pr. Take it easy this week and you'll fly...

Good luck on Sunday. I admire your year-round dedication. BTW, your profile pic makes me very uncomfortable. I can almost feel your daughters' suspicion and resentment oozing out of the photo. ;)

Glad are on the mend. I agree with Neil, I admire your year round determination (or since I have followed your blog). I hope you PR this Sunday, your workouts prove that you are always working hard.

Thanks all.

Neil - it's partially my fault. One time, on the way to Chuck E Cheese, I told them (jokingly) they better not argue or fight with each other or ChuckE would nibble their face off. One of my finer parenting moments. Anyway they are terrified of him now, and I'm sure any other freakish characters.

HAHAHA! I knew there had to be a backstory.

I checked out the race website. It does look like a good course for a PR.

Lemon lime Gatorade is yuck! Would that stuff exist if there were no races?

I propose that the fate of the Santa Cow picture be tied into your race performance somehow.

Tom, yeah Houston is as flat as it gets. I guess I can pirate a race pic if I run a 1:22:xx. Otherwise, Santa Cow stays.

Now, that's what I'm talking about! The stakes (steaks?) are high for Santa Cow! ....Sorry, again.

Perfect timing on your cold - Now that you've had one, hopefully you won't be getting another one. Good luck this weekend!

That's a wicked fast half. Wow! I'm in awe...I betcha you get it done.

Seems like you get your goals and then some!!!Good luck to you.Can't believe how fast you have become!!!!!and still going:)

When i fist read your post I saw "-34 F" and I was wondering if you were vacationing in Alaska!

Your workouts look good Joe, I think you're due for another PR.

Ken....Alaska? Try Idaho! Sorry joe for hijacking your blog

I read it as negative 34 degrees, not as a hyphen =)

Ahh, yeah, maybe a colon from now on! Only Rye has to deal with -34F...

Ha ha...you and I are at the extreme opposite in preparing for our races this weekend. I'm afraid I'm going to come out on the weak end :-)

Yeah don't worry about feeling less than great on this one... there is no correlation b/w feeling good early in the week and the race on the weekend... you never really know. You've put in the work and know you are fit. This doesn't change a thing.

IJR - yeah, getting it all timed up and balancing training with taper is a tough target to hit. Hopefully we'll both get lucky.

Jake - your "today's workout" post from FPT helped. The logical side of my brain knows I did everything right and this will be a PR race...today doesn't matter.

And remember, you don't really make physiological gains in the last week before a race... so its the workouts you did for the month before that really determine what you are ready to do.

Should be a good one. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. I'm excited to see how you do!

Just throwing this out there - you might want to do a few strides on Friday just to keep from feeling stale by Sunday.

I must be (finally) learning because that is just what I had planned! Thanks Andrea.

fresh legs plus race day magic and that killer 2x5k, you are golden.

Don't forget to drink a bottle of ex-lax tomorrow. You want to be completely cleaned out come race day.

At 51 degrees I assume that the wet is in rain form?

Yep - it was either drizzle or the fog, but I was soaked...nice warm day though!

I hope you don't have to run your race in the fog. I ran a half marathon last year in the fog and it was miserable. Not being able to see but a few feet ahead of me really got in my head.

Not sure it will be foggy, but definitely wet. I think the front is hitting Houston just hours before the race so wind and rain will probably be the theme. Hope you guys stay dry!

Good luck in Houston, Joe. I think it will be raining in Austin as well, but there should be a nice wind from the north pushing runners on a mostly north to south point to point course. I heard IJR is rigging up a sail. :-)

rain, no prob. wind, I hope not!! no wind no wind no wind!!

The good news is that 20 mph wind in the city, where there's stuff to block it, is like 10 mph out here on the plains. So maybe it won't be that bad since it's in town.

Enjoy and good luck!

Looks like the straightaway and tailwind will give you some banked seconds if the wind crops up late. I couldn't find an official elevation chart, but I am guessing a sub-60 course record says something. Best of luck, Joe.

good luck, joe.

always the optimist: the race is in the morning so the wind should really be at it's lowest! Good luck!

Good luck on getting a new HM PR...that is my old stomping grounds. Nice and humid for ya there, but besides the winds...the conditions should be cool...Excited to see the results for this race. Might do it next year...

I think the big factor is how fast the front gets here. They are notoriously slow in arriving, but if it gets here in time you could be primed for a big race. Either way I'm sure you will do great.

Good luck! Looking forward to reading about it!

Good luck Joe! We're all rooting for you (except Santa Cow, he's just MEAN!)

Go get it Joe! I will be thinking of you in the morning, and will probably get online and runnerstalk!

Weather looked TOUGH, but Joe still came through w/ a PR according to the runner tracking!!

Well done Joe, congrats!!! Way to get it done on a tough weather day. Definitely not optimal conditions. Running a PR today was no easy task. Happy for you!

Very nice, I couldn't believe how cold it was this morning when I walked out there. The driving rain was awful as well. Congratulations for making it both to the start line and the finish line, with a PR no less.

GREAT race! Sounds like you toughed it out and relied on solid training!

Nice PR Joe! in less than ideal conditions. You ran a great race and look like you'll be in good shape for Boston. Nice race!

Well done Joe. I watched the races on my computer. The weather looked savage. Well done on the pr. No doubt, this year, there will be many more pr's for you. Keep at it. Regarding your marathon pr, you're gonna take it to the cleaners.

I'M NOT WORTHY! ok, but seriously, those splits in those conditions are amazing. I can't imagine stringing together sub-20 5k's like that. You have gotten so fast! Congrats on the PR, and in good conditions you are not far at all from that sub 1:23!

Congrats on a PR in bad weather.

Congrats, Joe! Great job on the PR in crap conditions :)

Congrats on the PR - one of these days the weather will work out in your favor.

Nice race Joe! A PR in tough conditions is a great sign to your fitness. That wind can easily affect your time by a minute or more. You are on the right path for Boston!

Joe - the elites were all definitely off a couple minutes, and w/ the field they brought in, that's significant. I have no doubts that it would have been a 1:22 day for you in better weather conditions. But still, a really nice PR and this should give you a ton of confidence in the recent training you've been doing. You're making great strides in the right direction!

Good work, Joe. You did extremely well in the last, what, month? to prep for this, on a day with far less than ideal conditions. The placing also puts it into perspective.

Awesome race Joe, you are in a great place with 13 weeks to go!

Thanks for the great comments everyone. I appreciate them!

Flat - Danielle wanted to skip it this morning but I guilted her into running it. Now she hates me.

Bam - Thanks - I like the "savage" description but there were admittedly moments where it was kind of nice.

April - thanks -- I think you will be back to running these times in a few months though!

Jake - Although I definitely think you are what you run, conditions aside, I'm definitely considering/eyeing a different GMP pace for training purposes. I'm super-excited about the training ahead.

Jason - I started to think about it, and I bet there were a bunch of no-shows too this year (~4500 finishers when the field was 8000), but definitely encouraging that everyone else sucked. Except the elite women seemed to be unphased....darn them!

Heck of a race Joe- Nice work. Boston is going to be a great race for you!

Great race Joe! I'm impressed that you could run a PR under those conditions, especially in the "off season."

You are tougher than you look. Great job!

That was a phenomenal show of force in such crappy conditions Joe! I'm proud to be able to say that I've shared a course with you.

Nice job, Joe. Sorry about the sloppy conditions, but the PR is awesome!

I think you officially need to change your name to FASTjoe! Congratulations on the race and very good pacing considering the wind and weather conditions. I agree with Jake that 1:22 would definitely be realistic with better conditions.

congrats, joe. one step closer to that boston goal.

also, violently convulsing for 30 minutes burns 94 calories. FYI.

Very solid! Sounds like a pretty rough day and you still PR'd. Well done!

Way to go Joe. You continue to improve and encourage me as you do! I'm glad all I had to contend with was the cold and wind. I don't think I could have made it through the rain.

I've had random things pop up like that before and disappear within a few days. Hopefully it's just a little residual irritation from the race.

Hope that goes away as quickly as it appears!

Joe: is it toward the toes or toward the heel? I've had issues with my peroneal tendon before (assuming what you have is the same thing). I tweaked it in the fall on a long run tempo on uneven trail, ran my half PR on it a week later, which caused it to flare up. Easy running and one day of rest took care of it. In addition to the usual stuff (ice and such) I also wore hard-soled shoes (those Keen sandals with the hard rubber bottoms), which sounds counter-intutive but they worked really well (even though I looked silly with compression socks under sandals).

Rest easy.

The one thing that's making me worry less is that it came on pretty suddenly, so hopefully nothing long-term. 800 mg of ibuprofen and a couple hours glued to my chair have helped a little.

Jason - I'd say kind of mid-foot, just behind (to the posterior side) of that bump on the outside edge of your foot, where tendon meets bone. Thanks for your input, hopefully this is as short-lived as your experience.

Off days are never that friendly for me either, everything gets all stiff and rebellious. I was just posting about it on Andrea's blog. Sorry to hear about the foot, hopefully it's a quick recovery!

I was going to say, before I finished the read, man...you didn't even take a single day off!

Hope the foot pain goes away quickly!

I hope it goes away. I had peroneal tendonitis, one time in each ankle and it made it so I could not even walk normally. Both times I spent right about 4 weeks on an elliptical. You probably nipped it in the bud early by taking care of it, back then I tended to ignore injuries until it was too late.

Ouch, 4 weeks. Yeah, I hope this is more of an acute type flare-up, because I'm more than ready to get going already...

Bummer on the foot. That sleep must be why it's feeling a bit better. :) Hope it continues to improve.

Fantastic. Hope this one is just a glitch.

I've enjoyed three nights of good sleep thanks to my knee problem :-(

Good luck on the next run.

That 9 hrs is nice!

USATF announced today that Houston is hosting the 1/2 National Champs next January... so, hopefully ya got all the bad weather out of the way this year :-)

thanks all.

IJR - that is the ONLY good thing about sitting out, isn't it?

Jake - I think the bad weather alternates. 2011 - hot and humid. 2012 - good. 2013 - wind and rain. So you're in good shape for 2014. My theory is scientific, and air-tight.

You're the one that ran your loop backwards!

truB - os ebyam, os ebyam

9 hours! I bet that felt awesome!

sounds like a good plan, especially moving that 16 x 400. something to look forward to!

Root canals, 16 x 400s, working overtime...just a few of my favorite things.

ohhh, root canals -- they're right up there with magic brownies.

Good move Joe. You'll probably benefit more from an easy week than you realise. Hope the foot settles.

Good that the foot is getting better quickly. I've sworn myself off of Ibuprofen after reading up on the effects it has on runners (at the advice of DTheo)!

That's a good plan. You had a good cycle leading up to Houston, and Boston is still a ways off. Smart to make sure you are recovered and not dealing w/ any injuries as you get into the meat of the marathon buildup.

Good plan, Joe. Ah, the pain, the pleasure of 400s. Why does .25 hurt so good/bad?

You are an animal Joe....keep up the good work! Oh what I would give for 38 degree weather!

sounds exciting--big miles too! I hope to visit high mileage this year as well! When you go under 3, it's not gonna be 2:59, you are going to go way under.

I like the plan you've got - breaking up the big chunks into 2 smaller cycles... and lots of MP specific work. Great way to approach it.

If you were able to run 13 without killing your foot, you're probably in the clear. Man, I hate when people are injured. Glad this seems to be settled.

As an echo, the marathon specific stuff is so important. I learned the benefits of imbedding the tempo into the long run from you, and I know Paul uses it and some of the other speedy folks. I think the straightup MP tempo is good too. They definitely feel different than in the long run when you ease into them.

Keeping some speedwork is a good idea for turn over.

I think this time I will also do some long (3-5 mile) intervals ~10 seconds faster than goal pace. I guess that is the fun of each new buildup: mixing things up, keeping it interesting.

Sweet.

April - as long as the mileage doesn't kill us, we'll come out stronger! Good luck tomorrow.

Jake - thanks, it does seem tough but doable in the 2 chunks.

Jason - this cycle I'm actually going to shorter warmup for MP stuff - maybe switch back again after that, who knows. I like the slightly-faster-than-MP idea too, it's right around actual AT for us.

DH - yes.

great plan.

That looks like a great plan, very good run today too, looks like our temperatures are pretty similar now for some strange reason.

I'm with the others - the plan looks great: well thought out and the recovery week is a smart idea.

Way to get it done! 36F sounds delightful

Nice run yesterday, you are quick man! I REALLY like the looks of your Boston plan. I am looking for a solid training plan for a marathon in June, what do you suggest? I want to qualify for Boston again or get close to my PR. Anyway, I am just a runner that kind of runs whatever...

ACorn - winter is actually a great time to train down here, it's nice.

Bec - I'm kinda using this guy's training (link below). JakeK sent me a big PDF file wil a lot more details, including a sample plan. If you like what's on the link, send me a PM with your email and I'll send the file to you - pretty good stuff, it seems like. I'm kinda like you, just run whatever, but my times stopped improving so I figure I'll try some structure for a cycle and see what happens.

http://maximumperformancerunning.blogspot.com/2012/10/mprs-16-workouts-for-distance-runners.html

It's funny how that happens in the winter. The sun comes out and the temperature hits somewhere around 40F, and it feels like it's mid-summer and going shirtless might be a good option.

I hear ya on hitting the easy runs easier, that's super difficult for me also. Nice job on all of your consistent and focused work Joe.

Nice run today! Looks like some beautiful weather down south. Agreed on the LR pace. One thing I've gotta work on for 2013.

Wow...what a good training run! I need to nail one like that :-)

Nice work, Joe.

Nice little 19 miler @ a 3:22 marathon pace ... congrats on how far you have come Joe ... rock on!

Let's not talk about summer until we have to. nice long run! My new approach is to, on a whole, train and race without a watch.

So there is this half-marathon in Ardmore, Oklahoma on March 3rd that my team is eyeballing.

I think I've looked at that one -- net downhill but goes due south? Let me know if you sign up, might do it. But regardless, we're only about 90 minutes away from the race so you could stay with us that weekend, or we could watch Vanessa if you need...

16x400....Ouch! Have fun. Wish I were there to run about eight of them with you :-)

For a while I pretended my watch would only let me do 10 x 400 because of the 20 step limit rule. I figured out you just need to do it with the "Simple" option under "Workouts." I think I'll start with 12. 16 seems so daunting!

IJR - maybe you can do 8, and I can do 8, and we'll call it 16.

Jason - I've done 12 a couple times. painful. Definitely going to start on the slow end of 5k pace or I'll never make it.

I will do 2 if you & IJR want to just do 7 each! :)

Yikes - have fun with that one. Haven't done that many in a while - the lactate burn will be in full force. One way to do it is to break it up in set's of 5, 5, and 4, with a bit of an extended recovery in between sets. Or you can grind them out - the possibilities are limitless. :-))

Ah, that's a good idea, breaking them up. I'll see how I feel. I have barely hit 7:30 pace since the race, so 5:30s and 5:40s is going to be interesting.

sounds brutal--can't wait to read about it

Good luck tomorrow! Sounds like fun.. I think. You'll do great!

Never say never... :-)

What a good run Joe, I knew you were going to blow it away!

Nice job - it's in the books now.

Great workout Joe. Keeping them at a touch under 5:40 pace off a short recovery is good going. It'll make mp feel like a walk in the park.

You'll be doing 20-25 this summer! :-)

Another good session. Way to keep knocking 'em out Joe.

Great session, Joe. I bet you said the same about 16 that you now say about 20!

Nice! You nailed those! That is a lot of fast 400s with not much recovery! wow!

Awesome Joe! Just to show you up, after 8 miles today I ran one in 82 seconds ... of course, that was pretty much an all out effort! :)

Nice job Joe, that's impressive. I am wondering. You said you couldn't do 20. Could you do 17? :) Seriously great run.

Thanks all.

April - Believe me, I was milking that 200m toward the end...got close to 10:00 pace on the last few, in lane 2 or 3!

JG - No 82's for me!

Dan - The last one really felt close to a sprint and it wasn't really any faster. Maybe 17 next time!

Delayed, overdue comment - good looking workout, Joe. I liked seeing the sub-5 mile and 2:4x marathon pop up on your goals. :)

Nice miles in the wind! And nice workout yesterday. For as "good" as your legs feel today, it sure looks like you'll be good for Sunday.

It goes to show how good shape you are in!

Oh, and now can we lose the cow picture? It creeps me out.

BTW...I think with your last PR you were supposed to replace it :-)

Looking good! How many miles are you running at marathon pace this Sunday?

great week, joe.

Daniel - planning on 17 w/ 10 @ MP

allie - thanks

One day I will call 12 miles @ 7:44 pace filler miles ... NOT! Great week of running Joe, must be getting close to a weekly mileage PR!

Man...you're knocking out the miles! You sure make that 7:44 sound easy :-(

Impressive week! You're a little crazy, but the good kind of crazy.

Yep, you're having a good spell and it seems well balanced. You're giving yourself time to recover between workouts and that's what it's all about: stress recover repeat.

wow! already at 78 this week!

thanks all - weekly mileage PR should come next week (Mon-Sun) unless I miss a run!

I guess somebody around here is having a good week.

Sounds like it'll be a ton of fun! Your mileage this week blows my mind.

So....you going to a Sox game? At least pick up a red shirt to run in.

Great week Joe! Awesome the fam is heading to Boston, a great idea to make it a vacation & take some time to enjoy the town. Cross country tickets for 4 ... Ouch!... but will be worth it!!

Tracy - the kids are excited, for sure

Rye - not a bad idea, looks like they'll be in town.

JG - yeah somehow I didn't think running Boston would cost $2000.

Great workout Joe! The training plan you have is solid, so I am not all surprised that you were able to do this workout faster. You're making great progress and 2:55 is well within your capability. Like you said, no need to hammer all the workouts b/c what you're doing now is what is getting you faster!

Fantastic, Joe! Time for a breakthrough this Spring!! :)

Awesome, Joe. That 12 seconds faster per mile, which is impressive improvement for a 10 mile tempo. The Houston race and everything else you have been doing is why you see the results you do. Fantastic. Like you said, no need to do anything crazy. Just stick with what you are doing and use your indicator workouts like these.

Yeah, I agree with the others. You've got a good plan that's working well - stick with it and good things will come to you. You asked me to throw some of my confidence your way - I did and looked what's happened:) Well done.

Awesome! You definitely want to continue to follow your training plan to the letter. It's working great.

Nicely done Joe. Stick w/ the plan... It's working really well for you. You're making jumps without pushing the envelope too hard... It's coming naturally from the week to week training.

Awesome breakthrough! You are definitely increasing in fitness--like I said before, I think when you go under 3, you will go well under 3!

Will you still be my friend when you're a sub-3 marathoner? :-)

Those 10 miles are amazing. I am really impressed. That's some "next level" stuff, right there!

Thanks everyone!

Great post Joe. I think you are spot on for what you are trying to accomplish. Much success. Make it Happen.

Thanks Spencer, you are looking strong for Phoenix as well.

It's not Phoenix. It's Mesa!!

They need to rename it huh Burt :)

Yeah. Choose a different mythical creature Hyrum! What about the liger?

Ligers are real.

Would anyone really run the "Mesa Marathon?" Seems like it would just be a bunch of desert people wandering around...

Desert people are mythical creatures.

What's the plan for Friday?

Tom - I'm as indecisive as always but narrowed it down to 8 x 800m or 1000m. Either 10k pace with 200 recoveries or closer to 5k pace with 400 recoveries.

Good mileage run today....Got to love the 60 degree stuff!

That is a fantastic pace in those conditions. Nice Work, Joe.

52 miles for the week....You're an ANIMAL...!!!

Nice run Joe. Your training's going great.

I know what you mean about the wind; the wind's wicked in Tralee. Nearly everyday it comes in off the Atlantic with venom. Oh, for a nice calm day...

It is icky cold and windy here too! Nice miles wow. I chuckled at your 9 minute battle.

Great pace! I bet the huge change in temperature also didn't help getting out there in the am!

nice recovery, sir.

and nice double yesterday.

Wow only 6? ...Oh sorry, did I say that out loud?

Nice double ... I wish I could get out the door twice in one day ... You are a machine clicking off miles lately!

allie - thank you ma'am

IJR - pathetic huh?

JG - I invented the 25-hour day, it's really the only way I can fit it in.

Another great session Joe. It looks like Boston's gonna be a breakthrough for you. I think you'll go well under 3.

You might end up being a track runner the way your sessions are going:)

So they have those territorial credit unions there in Oklahoma now? That's good to know.

Bam - thanks...still hate the track but I'm starting to accept it as a part of life, like paying taxes.

Burt - Yes...and by "bank sign" I meant Jeb, the banker, was standing out there yelling the temperature every 60 seconds. We are one of the more advanced towns in Oklahoma though.

Nice job Joe. Amazing what you can do when you stay away from the red line on the first couple reps. You're getting enough of these workouts in now that you also have a better sense of what your paces should be.

You are getting too predictable with your consistent, great workouts :) Nice job again today - cold conditions to run 800s but you managed very well.

Nice job, man.

Great progressive 800s! and very cold! I think you are rocking almost exact same weather as us most of the time.

nice recovery day. and great workout yesterday. right on track.

20 miler tomorrow, just coming off of an 85 mile week!? You're amazing!

Great miles this week, Joe. Strong 800s two days ago as well.

Impressive 800's yesterday and good luck tomorrow. Your training's looking good!

very nice, joe. way to check the 20 miler off the list before most people even thought about getting out of bed.

what is a wave run?

It is such a good feeling to have a long run completed early. I love it when I'm back before my family is out of bed.

allie - it's like an MP run, but you alternate going a bit faster, then a bit slower than GMP. So for me, something like 6:25, 6:55, 6:25, etc.

Daniel - now if I could just sneak in a nap somehow it would be perfect!

super job! What is wrong with 10:30 or Noon mass, or my personal favorite, 5:30 on Saturday.

Funny story - I had a friend who was a super busy MD researcher at Vanderbilt. He was telling a story about going to mass at 7AM on Mondays, and he paused half-way through the story and said, "Msgr X said that it counted as Sunday mass" ;-) I told him later, that I didn't believe him, as I was always taught that in order for it to "count" as Sunday mass it had to be Saturday night or Sunday -- and you couldn't leave until after communion (hehehe).

Bonnie - believe me, we were big fans of the Saturday mass but since we moved to a little podunk town, there is only 1 mass time and the priest travels around. Plus we gotta get the kids to CCD afterward anyway...oh well, that's life!

My favorite mass is 7:30. I hate getting up that early, but it's nice to get home and have the whole day ahead of you.

Did you sneak in that .1 just so you can be ahead of Bonnie for the week?

Tracy - yes, definitely

Nice "easy" running Joe! I think I would have had to run a little faster as I ran around the Apaches :-)

Nice recovery miles, I bet you could have caught him if you had a GU!

The 9 minute guy is a punk that wears capri pants!

You're still getting some pretty cool weather up there. Things are starting to heat up down here. Tomorrow will be GOOD!!!

Nice miles today! Relaxing runs are great. If your body's ready for the workout tomorrow, have fun!

Another good session that's exceeded your expectations. It's great when that happens.

Maybe if you were to make the session longer (More/longer reps) you might get more from it or perhaps you could make the recovery 800m at 15 secs slower than MP.

The great thing is that you are improving. When that happens it's difficult to get the sessions bang on, but that's a good headache to have:)

Bam - yeah, there's a 10 and 12-mile run like this in the plan. Do you think it would be better to just run faster paces, or do something like 2000/1200 for the fast/slow sections instead of 1600/1600?

Great job Joe! That looks like a fun workout, except for me it would be a lot slower.

Your problems - "Man, this pace feels too slow." Ha Ha!

Is the purpose of this kind of work out to get your body to memorize your MP?

Joe, it depends what side of the fence you're on. For me, at this stage, it would be extend the rep, maintain the pace and cut recovery rather than going faster.

But see what some of the others say...

IJR - thanks - it does seem like it keeps you more engaged/entertained than doing a long tempo at an even pace. This was my first time to do it for an MP run.

Tom - I think the point is to move aerobic threshold closer to lactate threshold speed. You tickle the slow end of LT and then have to recover at a fast aerobic pace.

Bam - thanks for the input, much appreciated.

Great run Joe. I would err on the side of extending the overall distance first, and then if its still too easy, maybe drop the length of the "recovery" portion a bit. When the focus is the marathon, that approach is a lot more specific to the race than simply hammering the "on" sections faster.

Jake - thanks...something tells me that once it's 10 or 12 miles, with the legs getting heavier and heavier as training wears on, that I won't be able to run much faster anyway, even if I wanted to. But I guess I see now, once you start running any faster, it's really a different workout for a different system.

On a related note, I saw your comment about the 26.2k sim run - I was planning to do it 5 weeks out with 3 easy days both before and after, but maybe will ease into the pace a bit more now, so thanks for mentioning that.

5 weeks out would be great timing... probably ideal. I had the half marathon 6 weeks out, so that's partially why I backed off the pace a bit, being only ~3.5 weeks out right now.

Its definitely great to have something in the 4-6 week out window where you really need to focus and work hard, through a little discomfort.

ah, the wave. nice job.

Great work Joe! Building confidence through workouts is a very good thing and it looks like you turned this into a medium-long run as well.

Awesome workout Joe--and it felt easy?! your improvement spurt is exciting

Good stuff, Joe. Really fantastic shape right now.

Fantastic, Joe. Boston in much less than 3, me thinks... :)

Great workout Joe! It's been fun to watch your MP creep down. Looking forward to see your hard work pay off.

Your fast splits made my head spin, the recoveries just made me feel winded! :)

Great job Joe!

thanks all.

JG - that 9:10 pace almost felt harder than 6:10 pace in the morning!

Looks like the weather took a big jump the last few days. I hope we get some cool weather at least for another month or so. What's your run for the weekend?

IJR - this Sunday is a 17-miler @ steady-state pace (MP + 20-30 sec or so). not too bad... how about you?

Joe,

13 @ 7:26 which is goal marathon pace on my training schedule. I may be able to do this training run at pace but I'm sure my actual marathon will be much slower.

You're looking great Joe- caught up on your days and you are killing it!

feek - To wipe a {beak} upon a surface. Raptors often do this following completion of a meal.

Dan - thanks

Burt - exactly...after completion of a meal.

You're really at 82.2 miles for the week...? Is this your biggest week ever?

I measure my weeks a little different, Monday thru Sunday, so last week was my PR (88). This week will be 85. But yeah, they are all right up there!

Put some miles on this week...... Oh wait, you did. Nice job Joe - you're kickin' butt.

That wind is bad in OK !

That is windy, but the temps seem nicer.

That's pretty good Joe. Pri-tay good!

Really good, especially being able to finish it so strong.

Solid, Joe. There's no way you don't obliterate your Marathon PR this Spring! (weather dependent)

Awesome finish to a great run Joe!

Stellar run Joe. Great to see that's a very sustainable pace for you.

when 6:51 pace is steady, you are officially in awesome shape!

Thanks all. Definitely don't feel like a "3-hour guy" anymore, just need the chance to prove it!

Nice run Joe. I loved the, '...don't feel like a "3-hour guy" anymore' comment.

Another solid run. Keep it up. Everything is looking good for Boston.

Nice "steady-state"! There's no way you're a "3-Hour Guy" anymore!

Good run. Steady state is a little slower than MP, I take it?

Flat - yeah, MP + 20-30 seconds or so. Got a little fast at the end but it's fun to enjoy new fitness gains sometimes.

I think you mean, "I wish this would have happened on my 15 mile morning".

After just 7 minutes ..... did you use the outdoor facilities? After about 10 minutes of waking up is when things start moving for me......hummmm tmi

Dan - yeah, missing a 15-miler would have been teeeeeeerible huh?

Rye - what do you think I was doing for 4 of those 7 minutes?

SlowJoe - 1, Stinging Rain - 0.

Ah, that's where all the rain was. Nicely done.

Sounds painfully fun...well, not really! But I'm proud of you :-)

Well done for remembering to set your alarm, although I suspect you might have wished you'd forgotten again:)

Now next time let's work on going without a shirt so you really get that taste of nature. It will make you a better runner.. or just stupid :) Nice run Joe, way to stick with it.

rain run. snow run. nice double in the elements.

SlowJoe - 1, Light Snow - 0. It's getting tougher to keep score.

The shape you're in at the moment you could do all of them - twice:)

I'm a mile repeats fan myself!

Its a cornucopia of "fun" workout choices!

You can't go wrong with any of them.

I'm thinking through the same thing. For Friday though. You most recently did the 2 x 5k I believe. Do you ever do tempo intervals? Based on the suggestions above you could do something like 3 x 12 minutes. I'm guessing the 4 x 1.5 would be like 4 x 9minutes+. Of course, I'd rather do a known distance because I sometimes run out of room on the only decent stretches of road to do them :) I do like a good set of mile repeats at LT pace though. Probably what I will do.

Jason - At first I was kinda tempted to re-do the 2 x 5k as a yardstick to see where I'm at, but I know would probably just end up "racing" against my old workout to prove to myself I'm faster now....which is soooo not the point. So I'll probably end up doing the 6 x 1 as well...seems much more reasonable, and I have not done mile repeats in a really long time. I don't think I've ever done 6.

It's helpful to repeat workouts, but I like your point about having to race yourself. I've done 7 with a minute and a half recovery and run 6 seconds faster for a half (my long run tempos had a lot to do with it as well). That was probably the hardest workout I've ever done. The Hanson's is tough but a good bit of rest. I did 5 the other week. Felt appropriately hard without being dead the next day.

I like the idea of confusing the body too (different rest, number of reps, etc). Derek is great at this. Others are too.

In response to food and running...there's a gem of an article in running times that I have yet to read...it's on puking and it has some action shots.

The problem with L.J.S. is that it is usually attached to another couple of restaurants. And you get a little from each. So your dinner will be some fish fillets with hush puppies, a burrito from Taco Bell, some KFC chicken, washed down with an A&W root beer. That is like staging a brawl in your gut!

Jason - I will have to check out Derek's blog. Definitely see the value in doing something different each time.

Tom - This particular LJS is on its own, but your theory is sound. I think I probably just should have left those little fried crispies at the bottom alone, but I was still hungry dammit.

This workout must make you feel really good! Keep it up 2-Hour Guy :-)

Good stuff, Joe. That's a really nice progression. I think you are right about the effort. LT guess seems to be right on (McMillian says 6:18 based on your half, but given those conditions and recent training it is much lower). Fun to see the old LT pace drop isn't it? ("That used to be my V02 max pace!"

Awesome workout Joe, perfect splits for that workout with a nice tiny progression! I bet you were tempted to go to the well on that last one for a 5:59. :)

Are you running a race after your recovery week?

IJR - 2 hour guy has a nice ring to it!

Jason - yeah definitely a bit of a guessing game on LT (and all paces right now); I've been using 1:23/2:55 for calculator/pacing purposes.

JG - yeah, you know I was thinking the same thing on the last rep. I went through the first 400 in 1:28 and had to have a little talk with myself to relax. It would be good timing for a race following the rest week, but it's not in the cards for that weekend. There's a HM in 2.5 weeks that I'm considering though.

Great workout (again). You're doing these perfectly. You're spot on about the effort level - always feel like you can do one more... that the extra push you save for races. Looking very, very good right now.

Nicely done Joe. I'm liking this training plan that you are putting together.

Good job Joe. It's great to watch you improving like this. What I like is that you are applying loads of common sense and keeping things simple. That said, the balance between sessions and recovery is carefully planned and is, I suspect, the key to your continued improvement. Brilliant - I can't wait to see your next race report.

Awesome workout, Can't wait to see what happens in Boston. Ardmore. March 3. Has pr written all over it.

Jake - I know my stuff don't I? But seriously, thanks for always sharing your thoughts on running here, on your blog and elsewhere. Otherwise I would be waiting for the latest copy of Runner's World to get my ideas.

dh - thanks - it does finally feel more balanced and planned out

Bam - thanks, I appreciate it. The balance of workouts mostly comes from the Hadley/MPR stuff. I am itching to do some racing...

April - I'll get Danielle to text you soon - you should come stay with us for that weekend (unless you have plans w/ the team or something). I think I might go ahead with A2A....have you signed up yet? I'm scared that the course goes south the whole way.

Very nice Joe. Great strong finish. Your running seems to have taken on much more structure lately and is definitely paying off.

Looking great, Joe! 6x1mi. progressive - I like it...

sweet.

So impressive. I think I'll bronze your training program from this quarter and give it to my grandkids in a few years. They won't believe that I know SlowJoe.

that is all. I like it.

Nice running Joe, you had a very good week IMO.

You'll do great on the run tomorrow! Enjoy it!

Great week Joe. Enjoy your recovery week:)

Good luck tomorrow. Nice week!

Nice week Joe. Have a great run tomorrow!

Nice run Joe. I was waiting to see how you'd go today.

My two cents - take the recovery week. Let your body make the necessary adaptations. Let it soak up the hard work you've put in. You'll feel refreshed after an easy week and be raring to go. Remember that it's about the big picture not the odd workout or the half marathon race. I'd play it as safe as possible. Just my thoughts.

Thanks Bam, you might be right on that one. Next week really is the perfect time for one if I only think about Boston (which is what I should be doing). Running a big HM PR is not the focus right now. I'm going to look over my little plan and think about it.

excellent run.

i just repeated everything you said (and already know), so i'll change my advice to this: look over your plan and think about it.

ah, shoot!

Allie - thanks for the input (great minds...). Yeah I think y'all are right. My legs are adjusting to the higher load now and there's no reason I can't train through it.

I even heard of this person who did a 20-miler the day before a race, can you believe that?

that's ridiculous. he/she probably crashed the next day and never came out of it.

Great run today Joe! That 32 degree weather seems a bit cool for as far south as you are. :) I'm shooting for the same temp today in SD. Awesome pace, too. You maintained your pace very well. You're on track perfectly for Boston.

Great run Joe. Look it over and think about it :)

Nice run Joe. I think finishing the run w/ a little DH is a good thing... gets your legs turning over quicker than normal... so you get your brain "wired" to drop the pace at the end.

I think you could probably jump into a half w/ just a couple easy days beforehand and run really fast right now. You don't even need a full easy week beforehand w/ how strong you are getting.

Mull it over, but I'd err on the side of taking the recovery week as planned, soak in the workload, then be able to get back after it for another month before Boston. So far, your plan has been excellent... don't second guess it too much... you're making everyone think you really know what you're doing!! :-)

allie - I would think so, but there's no way to really know for sure.

Matt - don't worry about us, we were back up to mid-60s this afternoon!

Dan - thanks, I think I'll relax this next week!

Jake - yeah, the recoveries are definitely improving. 2 easy days seems to get me past/over any workout now, and that definitely wasn't the case last year. Maybe I can keep up this charade awhile longer.

Great run Joe! Yeah, stick with your plan, that Half will be much more beneficial to your Boston training at the end of a week of training. Just stay away from the doughnuts this week! :)

That's a great tempo! You definitely should jump into the A2A half--just my two cents. :) I am signing up tomorrow--all systems are a go! Looks like the first 9 have some downhill going on, then the last 4 are uphill. While that is a rough place to stick some uphill miles, I'm thinking with all that downhill it is a PR course.

JG - hopefully the appetite will taper off too!

April - I think I am a "go" too. Let's hope for a north wind!

Fantastic, Joe. I bet that is pretty close to MP (it's clearly not half marathon pace). Your overall averaged is several seconds faster than sub-3 hour, which is significant. Plenty of time left, too.

You have absolutely rocked the last 4 weeks Joe ... your summary misses one point ... you crushed at least 8 hard targeted workouts! Enjoy your recovery week & get lots of rest ... you are getting faster this week as a result of your hard work! No doughnuts! :)

What JG said +1. Great spell of training Joe. Enjoy your 'easy' week.

Looking good, Joe. Here's a tidbit - a 45 year old running buddy of mine just ran a 2:55 at the Austin marathon - not an easy course. His mileage was 80's-90's and he peaked at 100 3 weeks out. So I would say you are looking good for a breakout performance.

That was a good article.

I found this amusing...

"In other words, we have kids, and we get lazy."

Kids can definitely be a training limiter, but laziness is mutually exclusive, I would think! But interesting that vo2 max isn't affected as long as you keep training it. I hope Lagat is clean, because that's pretty inspitational (I didn't know he was that old).

It gives a little hope to us 50+er's :-)

Hey guys.....age is just a number

Rye - yeah, definitely just a number (and not one you can control) but it's fun to guess/hypothesize about all the variables that go into reaching your potential.

I'm gonna have to read this article! I am hoping to peak in my 30s. You have been making amazing improvements. Big PR in Ardmore I bet!

Great article Joe. I've always admire Lagat and his being ageless. Definitely an inspiration.

Sounds like fun. :-) I am thinking of posting a youtube video on my method of never having shoes come untied again. In all the years of running when I do this my shoes have never come untied. It even works for my son's shoes. It's really so simple. Once the shoes laces are tied take the loops and excess and put them under the crossed strings on the shoe. I have found that it is the flapping of the laces that causes them to come untied. So by sticking the excess under the tight laces it eliminates the flopping around, and therefore, shoes coming untied. Just a little tidbit. :-)

Burrr...that's all I have to say about that!

DH, Can you create an App to teach people how to do that? If so, you might get rich!

dh - see, I had been having some success double knotting, but something about when it's wet outside makes them still come untied. Your way sounds way better, especially since they'd be easier to untie. You've sold me.

IJR - too late, secret's out!

I've been tying my laces like that since I started running @ 3 years ago. I always thought "Why do they sell shoes with such long laces? I better tuck these away somewhere." So, now it is "the derhammer knot?" Well, I had my chance for a patent, I guess.

p.s. SlowJoe - 1, Stinging rain - 0.

SlowJoe - 0, Shoe Laces - 2.

Well done for battling through the inclement weather, Joe.

I've just sent Grace out to athletics with her laces tied in the DH style:) Result.

Tom - It's not too late. You know, Albert Einstein worked in a patent office. Why do you think you never hear about Smith's Theory of Relativity?

Bam - I'm going to ask you to cease and desist on tying any shoes like that until I can work out the International patent pending issues.

"Cease and desist" - I'm looking over my shoulder and I'm trying to work out whether to put my hands up or hit the deck:)

I forgot the mention patent pending part. :-)

It was "character building"... There's always a bright side. Way to get out there in wretched conditions.

Sounds like a great day of running!

Great job, Joe! The Derhammer not is a keeper. I'm trying it today...

Gotta love spiteful running!

Way to get out and brave the elements!

You need a treadmill for these kind of runs :-)

How do you like the 2 a day workout thing. I've enjoyed them for the most part....

so...whatcha going for next weekend timewise?

You've had some gorgeous weather this week! Nice job on still getting out.

So ... if someone told you 2 years ago you would average 8 miles a day on a recovery week, what do you think you would have told them? :)

Rye - honestly, I don't have the time for the PM run and my wife hates it, so it'll stop after Boston. But I do enjoy the run itself most of the time.

April - actually I have no idea! I think I'm gonna try to leave a bunch in the tank for the last 4 uphill miles but still want to PR.

JG - yeah, kind of crazy when 60 is a recovery week. But it's all relative, I guess.

You're still getting some pretty cold weather! Nice running this week!

You're a glutton for punishment. "a good idea, because it felt kinda bad."

Don't get sick! You're just going to have to run anyway...

Look after yourself and if you need to, rest up.

Now is not a good time to get sick! pound the C!!

just to ummm clarify...vitamin C

Nice recovery week. Like Bam said, rest up if needed!

Thanks all - I am coming down with something but it seems like the standard crud, nothing especially bad. Nothing a 22-miler tomorrow won't cure.

IJR - thanks!

Bam - got about 10 hours of sleep, a PR this year.

Tracy - no pain no gain!

April - hahah!

Matt - thanks, will do.

Unleash the beast...

Smart, Joe. Remember when a 60 mile week was unimaginable even as a peak week?

I like that. Unleash the beast. I am hoping to keep you in view for at least a minute at Ardmore!!

Nice week! Your body should be good and ready for some more pounding. Good luck!

Nice running Joe. Great idea to hit the hills in the tempo portion. Intelligent training.

Yes, very smart. Its too easy to get locked into the mode of trying to run fast workouts and ignoring the obvious challenge of the Boston course, which presents so very unique challenges... you've gotta be able to hit the hills hard when you're already got a lot of miles under your legs. Train yourself to do that, and you'll tear that course to shreds.

I'm convinced this is darn close to MP if it isn't, Joe, especially given the last two miles of tempo were fast. . . And it was on top of a 17 mile warmup. Crazy gains this buildup. The old aerobic engine is nicely stoked. I look forward to Boston. Not that I will be there, but since I started running Marathon Monday is like a holiday. Well, I guess it is.

Very nice run today. Awesome last 5 miles, especially with the hill. Impressive tempo!

I knew you would ease back into things after ypur recovery week! :)

awesome ending tempo!

Bam - thanks

Jake - Got a good month to get there; I would be the "2:59 guy" right now if the hills in the last few miles of Tulsa hadn't almost reduced me to walking...

Jason - thanks, yeah the aerobic system has definitely been the show pony lately. I'm keeping sub-2:50 in my cross-check, just in case, although 26 miles @ 6:29 is still a bit daunting at this point.

Matt - thanks!

JG - you know me, easy does it...

April - thanks

You've been running in a lot of rain lately. Do you have a shoe-drying system that you want to patent? You've got to jump ahead of Derhammer on this one. Also, have you tried to connect to IJR's page today?

Seems as if he's taken it offline for now.

As far as the drying technique, I leave them on the carpet and the water simply transfers over. Sure, it leaves the carpet wet and dirty, but you don't need nice carpet for running.

Good running Joe, way to keep it up in the rain. Hope Preston is fine.

That snow warms my heart!

"you don't need nice carpet for running". Ha! That made me laugh. I'm going to tell my wife that. Not sure she'll see the humor in it.

Wise decision. Maybe instead of a full speed session do some 1 x 1 mins to work on turnover. Let the half be your hard training session.

Smart move.

Make sure you shave your legs for the race.

dh - the 1 min on/off actually sounds like a good idea, I think I might do it.

Bam - Nah, I like to style/braid my leg hairs for a race. I'll put a little Irish bow on one side for you.

Walk down to the gym and watch all the strange people on the elliptical and then walk home giggling and count it as 12 vicarious cross training miles:)

Hope the cold clears up quickly and so does the alarming forgetfulness:)

Sounds like a good plan, Joe. A little light, fast stuff to sharpen up should be all you need. I take it you are doing a tuneup half? Fine time to do it.

Bam - what is this "gym" place you speak of? Sounds wonderful. And "cross training?" Is that some sort of shoe-lacing class?

Jason - yeah, a little HM this weekend for funsies mostly, and a killer workout.

Joe--I will be arriving in Ardmore that eve, I will call y'all. will definitely call in the am when you are driving and look for ya on the starting line. No wind I hope, I read some race reviews that said the downhill is not much and the uphill is harsh, but there were very few reviews. I guess we will see! I am feeling excited! I have to work the night before and will sleep a lot Saturday so it would be hard to get over to y'alls house. but... I am still contemplating...I would love to say hey to Danielle and we could caravan in the am!!

April - no worries, I definitely understand the night shift/sleep thing (I'll probably be leaving Elgin before 4:30 am that morning). Well, if you change your mind, the offer's still on the table.

I was looking more at the elevation profile, and it definitely is the case that after the first 2 super downhill miles, it's basically a fair course for the last 11. Well, more than fair since the last 4 are uphill! Should be interesting, looking forward to it.

You should be ready to roll in a couple days ... have a great race this weekend Joe! When hill profile reverses direction at Mile 9, just envision yourself blasting up the Newton Hills ... you will crush it!

I usually find that I can crank out decent workouts when I'm sick, but it takes a lot longer to recover, and on easy days or easier workouts, I'll feel pretty flat. Just takes a little extra time for the systems to fully reboot.

Yeah, I think I might just have this bang on. I've had a good look at the course profile. Will you be wearing socks?

JG - I don't know how much "blasting" I'll be doing in those last 4, but i think I'll be ready to try!

Jake - I don't know why I can't seem to learn that lesson, but I probably never will.

Bam - Yes on the socks. They will be white socks, if that matters.

I'm sure you will be fine. A few more easy days and race day magic--you are going to crush it, you are very fit right now.

Another good run Joe. You've got a ton of time for recovery until the half. You'll be ready!

This sounds exactly like my run today, down to the temperature. looks like hat and gloves my be race uniform Sunday!

Looks like a south wind! But only for the first 12 miles.

I mean a headwind for the first 12 miles. Hopefully it won't be too bad.

Wind or no wind, I'm not changing my predictions:)

If my memory serves me correctly you hit a big half PR on a wicked windy day quite recently. I wouldn't be too worried about a little wind if I were nailing workouts like you have been.

You have a race this weekend, and I still can't catch you in weekly miles. Ha!

1000 miles on shoes is crazy. Paul may have the blog record at over 1500.

Notice the times. It looks like there were significant calculations involved. Did he predict a race time for you?

Good luck Joe!

Bam was spot on, missed Allie by 2 seconds, Jake by less than a minute, & Riley by less than 2 minutes!

No pressure, but I am thinking he has you around 1:19 ish :)

I can't see on the website how to track your progress. And now I have to go to church! I know you are doing great, Joe. I look forward to reading about it later.

i think bam is an inter-dimensional wizard.

I agree Allie, but I am disappointed he did not use his powers to light a fire under you in the last 50 yards to get that 2 seconds! :)

Btw, great race!

Those predictions are remarkable!

Yeah those are pretty good predictions. Mine is off by 2 minutes but hey one of those minutes I was stopped, so still pretty close.

I like how precise they are...to the exact second.

Good workout in that wind. Those final few miles must have been killers.

I was days out with my prediction for you:) I should've heeded your warning about the wind.

Awesome race Joe. One heck of a headwind for you. I love that your 7:20's put your lead on that green dude. That was a great tempo workout into that wind. Nice job!

Way to beat Lime Green, Joe! Nice race!

Bam predicted 1:21:37, which is about what I predicted. One of these days you will get some decent weather. Hopefully Boston is like it was in 2011 (and not 2012). Sounds like you got to compete a bit today, which is an added bonus you don't always get on a regular run. Those 7:20s uphill into a headwind must have been tough.

The headwind is always the danger of p2p courses. I'd say a very good effort, and like Jason said - being able to compete in a race is great experience.

Bam - I appreciate the 1:21. With a north wind I think I'd have had it.

Matt - thanks, definitely some good resistance training if nothing else.

Thanks Tom!

Jason - yeah I was thinking about how Boston could have a nor'easter and then the pain would be doubled. The crazy thing is I was cautious and saved up a good amount of energy for those 7:20s.

Jake - Usually I lose those kinds of duels (not that it ended up being much of one), so the racing part was definitely the bright spot.

Yes Joe...you kindly burst my bubble about 5 minutes before gun time. Major bummer. The headwind was just wicked at the end, like you said, comical!! Way to kill it and race though--definitely a good training run and I think your time was awesome--I know how hard that uphill 20mph ^$&* was!! Great placing, and way to take down lime green dude.

Well done! very good race with wind. if it was me racing, i'd've just run the race backwards :)

Janz - you should take up coaching; a few people on here a penchant for running backwards:)

April - it was character building at least - we can pull some kind of positives out of it

Janz - why didn't I think about that? Bam is right, you need to be a coach.

nice job, joe. racing in wind can be brutal. solid workout in tough conditions -- the reward will come next month.

So let me get this right. You beat April? April has run a sub 3-hour marathon, and you haven't. What's wrong with you man?

Great job racing Joe, paces are irrelevant in those conditions! Hard to get that kind of effort in on your own without being in a race ... heck, it would have been hard for me get out the door ... race or no race! :)

allie - thanks. yeah, you're right - next month Cadbury creme eggs go on sale.

Burt - I'm the 3-hour guy. It's what I do.

JG - I know, I would never set up a workout into the wind, probably not even an easy run.

Not too shabby yourself, Joe! Great effort on the uphill part! Maybe a win in your future?

Just catching up after vacation... I have this cool little spreadsheet that will calculate your effort pace based on a head wind. It's pretty cool. I'll email it to you to play around with. Anyway, tough race in those conditions.

Nice effort on a tough day. There's nothing worse that a strong headwind on race day.

Great job, Joe. Congrats on a fantastic finish and placement!

You average an amazing pace in that wind. sounds like a good plan for the week.

I did a little post-race athlinks stalking...limited info but I think you were right on with your 5-7 min slowdown estimate (I found one other guy that ran the Houston half 5.5 minutes faster than he ran this, and that race was windy too).

haha that is funny, my estimate was largely based on athlinks stalking. so Bam was actually doing pretty good on his predictions I think, in ideal(still) conditions. I still vote that out of all the hardships(heat, hills, wind)--wind is the worse, hands down. You can work with heat and train for hills, but really, wind is wind and I never heard of anyone being a good "wind" runner.

stupid oklahoma. you should move to utah. we have brutal winters and dirty air, but other than that, THIS IS THE PLACE.

nice bounce back from the half.

I've always dreamed of gulping down frozen polluted air. Let me call the movers, and I'll see ya tomorrow.

great. i know of a good section of grass in liberty park. depending on how many couches you have, you would be in the shade most of the day. i'll have the governer clear out the dirty ice mounds.

I hear Colorado is nice.

25k @ marathon effort is pretty intense. I think I need to do some straightup simulation runs of some length this time around (better than do a medium long run interest-wise). 2-10 mile warmups are great, but we don't exactly do that the day of a marathon do we?

Nice workout Joe! Smart move keeping it easy - Your legs are going to take a pounding in a few days. It'll be windy, too....

Jason - yeah, I'll probably still do a mile or so to get warm, but try to play it like a race other than that. Should be some good suffering going on.

Matt - thanks, and you're right...looks like another windy one. sigh.

Looking forward to your 25k run. Like you said, that'll be 2 good long workouts in 7 days, which will stand you well for Boston.

Don't even talk about knee pain...remember your Superman!

Kidding aside, I hope it's nothing.

Don't mess with CAPS.

Be careful out there tomorrow; I'll be worrying about you - you know, you might get blown away or something:)

It looks like the winds were a little rougher down south than they were up here this morning. I predict you will emerge from this rut a stronger runner!

I agree with Daniel - you'll be stronger for it. Not long until Boston and you're right in the middle of the hard stuff. Hang in there - it'll be taper time soon. Keep hydrated and watch your nutrition.

If you felt amazing on every workout right now, I'd worry that you were feeling that way a little too early. Still over a month to go.

I like the modification to the workout, and 2x7 is a tough session anyway you slice it, especially on a windy day.

Keep plugging away, you'll be OK.

the effort was there; the workout still counts. you're doing great.

Once again, nice work in rough conditions, Joe. And a good adaptation.

Daniel - yeah I don't feel terrible, just a little off - I'm sure it'll come back

Bam - thanks that's a good reminder about hydration & nutrition...easy to slack there

Jake - good to hear that. I'd almost forgotten what it's like to flub a workout; it's pretty hard to bat a thousand in a tough cycle though

allie - thanks, the effort was definitely there.

Tom - thanks - somehow the brain can always come up with a way to make it easier. Doesn't work the other way though.

A good modification and a great workout. Battling through these ruts is what makes you a strong runner come race time!

Some days are just "off", and wind running stinks in every way. Yesterday I couldn't do a hill workout I breezed through a few weeks ago. off days. they happen. That was a smart way to modify, sometimes trying to force a workout the way it was planned does more harm than good.

Nothing to add that could possibly be more helpful than the above, Joe. Trying to let the wind roll off your shoulders is nearly impossible in the best of moods; doing so during a big workout definitely so.

I hear ya ... after the last 2 days of running in 60's I could definitely notice a difference ... & it has hardly even begun to warm up! Not sure I could handle the OK winds though in those cooler.

Btw, your Boston bib # 3325

Nice double! New shoes are fun too

Yes! new shoes are fun! Oklahome winter, nice, Oklahoma wind, not.

JG - hey, thanks - didn't know that info was out yet. Corral 4....that's a first! It's going to be cool having so many people going the same speed.

Yeah, Joe ... Corral 4 is awesome ... & definitely different from any other race. You just kind of fall in line & go with the flow, & presto ... You are at race pace! The alternative is to get run over. Lol

If I recall correctly from last year in corral 6 ... It took all of about 15 seconds for the pack to be cruising along at a sub 7:00 min pace ... I actually jumped off the side of the road & took a quick leak ... As I knew at 85 degrees I would not last long in that pack! :)

Going through the same thing with darkness in the am. Still not used to my lost hour of sleep, either!

I hear ya!

Ooooh, who's afraid of the dark? You big scaredy cat:)

tomorrow might be better. are y'all supposed to get super warm too?

84! on Friday...depressing.

84!? What a confusing bunch of weather. I woke up at 1 degree today. Hey good luck on tomorrow's run. Have fun with it!

That was quite a run you had on Sunday despite the miserable part. The effort was still there!

Sweet session Joe. That's got to do the confidence the world of good. It's great how the session got faster and you still felt good at the end. Everything's coming together nicely.

Nice job - you have definitely been logging the miles, that's for sure. My legs have been feeling the same way before workouts. Somehow they end up coming through.

Awesome workout. I am getting so excited for the killer time you are going to run in Boston.

Mosop and Hall have pulled out of Boston - they bottled it after reading your blog:)

Fantastico! (That's Spanish for fantastic.)

Bam - I think I'm virtually guaranteed to win Boston now. Wish I wasn't starting in corral 4, but winning wouldn't be challenging otherwise.

dh - yeah I must say, this past Sunday was the only time the legs were not up to the task. Every other time they've begrudgingly come through.

April - thanks...should be in good shape. Already thinking about the taper!

Burt - Gracias! (That's Spanish for "hey, I appreciate the kind word. Have a great day.")

Great workout Joe! Way to finish strong. Your legs are going to respond well from that taper.

Hope it's nothing.

sounds like a good plan--hopefully it is just a transient niggle.

It's amazing what clears up with some very easy running. Do what you need to do to get it straightened out.

Sounds like that pothole got your attention. Sure hope that's nothing, but you'll know what to do.

Congrats to you and the lucky lady! Have a fun day!

Fantastic! Congrats to you both.

nice. have fun.

Cool. I love Hiking! Can I go? I promise, it won't be weird this time.

Seriously, congratulations! Enjoy your day.

Congrats Joe. Hope you have a cracking annivesary.

Happy anniversary to you both!

Great run Joe. The fact that you're recovering at 6:50 pace tells the story: you are in excellent shape and will be ready to rumble.

Good work, Joe. Your workouts are very telling. You have had a number of them, so I would put my confidence there. Smart pacing at Boston will get you where you want to go. I imagine MANY people go out way too fast and blow up (this actually makes a lot of sense given the aura surrounding the race).

wave run! nice, joe. nice.

Awesome run today Joe! I might have to try that wave thing some day. Seems like a great way to get you used to MP while not beating yourself up. You should be pretty darn confident going into Boston. Your training has been spot on!

You're ready for this Joe. That 3 has no chance of showing up as the first # next to your name this time around.

Hope that late night run didn't play havoc with your sleep. Sleep is very important in the final stages of marathon prep: it's where you dream about beating your 'A' goal:)

Now this is my kind of run :-) You're sure looking good!

nice double. perfect temp on that second one.

Another good session. With the miles and the other tough sessions over the last 7 days this cheeky little workout adds gristle to your training. Good stuff.

gristle - somehow that's the perfect word for what this was. thanks Bam.

You know you're in marathon shape when you don't feel "on" but still put in a good workout like this as if you're just going through the motions. That's the accumulation of fitness starting to take over.

Jake - it was weird, I was struggling with 8-min pace on the warmup, but then the legs just did their job... no more, no less.

This is a great workout, Joe. Nice Job! At some point, you will become "The man formerly referred to as 'Slow' Joe."

Great running Joe!

@ Tom K... I agree, I think "SlowJoe" is completly inappropriate :-)

"SlowJoe" will never go away, but my blog title will...on April 16th!

Oh yeah! I heard that!

you better recognize!

It's great when you can command tired legs to move. I think you should feel tired given the training, and it is peak week (which is just fun to say). Good to stay form sharp.

wow perfect workout on tired legs. it is awesome that they are responding, and will keep responding when the second half of your 2:50 marathon starts at mile 20. :)

Nice workout Joe! In reading your post leading up to the 800m splits, i wasn't quite expecting 3:00 each. That's awesome that your legs did what they needed to. Killer week, too!

Perfect pace on the pm miles, too. :)

Jason - thanks. peak week peak week peak week. you're right.

April - thanks for throwing in the 2:50. it would have to be one hell of a taper!

Matt - I was surprised to go sub-9 in the PM run.

Nice workout! April, I love the comment about the second half of a marathon starting @ 20.

Thanks Kam. I need a marathon where the second half ENDS at mile 20.

Nice week Joe ... 72 miles in 5 days! Maybe you should strap the treadmill to your back & just do steps in the morning ... maybe that will tire you out.

Current Boston forecast for next couple weeks is in the low 50s and cooler and you've been tearing it up this winter :)

Enjoy your 2:50, Joe :)

Getting excited for Boston....Maroon 5? I must be out of touch..

Lookin' good Joe... Lookin' good.

Still toughing out the wind I see. That's wretched.

Refuel w/ a Luna bar and you'll be all set!

haha - I had to look that up. I'm gonna go eat one right now.

I fell out of my chair when I read "treadmill"!

Rye would be proud of you :-)

I had to look it up too; what's worrying is that Jake knows all there is to know about luna bars:)

I like Luna Bars, even if I shyly pass them over the counter at the place in the student union.

IJR - have to admit that having a TM comes in handy sometimes...

Bam - maybe that is his secret...I'll try anything once.

Jason - they look pretty healthy, so that's understandable. But how do you explain purchasing Midol along with it?

Great week Joe! I appreciate your openness and courage to share the types of activities you enjoy while on the treadmill. I pretty much just watch Steven Seagal movies if I ride my bike inside or run on the treadmill. He's a great actor and I'm a manly man.

ACorn - you are a shining beacon of manliness. I'm glad I left out the part about watching Oprah on TV.

Joe: You may go by "SlowJoe" but neither your running nor your wit fits such a description! That one got me.

It's 3:14 a.m. over here and I'm up dishing out the medicine for the girls - the whole crew has come down with the lurgy.

Acorn, your post just made me grunt with approval - as us real men do. Chuck Norris is another class act. I suspect most of the compression sock wearing, leg shaving, luna bar eating 'men' on here prefer something more sedate, you know, like Little House On The Praire. I'd say that's right up Joe's street:)

Not gonna Google Luna Bars, but what a week you are having, truly peaking in every sense of the word. Congratulations on a great training cycle.

Nice week Joe.

Geez, Joe.. 95 miles. NICE work. Have a good run tomorrow!

Nice week Joe! 95 miles and running every day now. It looks like you have taken it to the next level.

Very very cool, Joe!! These miles will help immeasurably the last few miles of your next race (when is your next race?).

Thanks Bonnie - headed up to Boston in 3 weeks!

Yup ... You will rock it!!

Congrats, Joe. What I imagine is one of the great milestones of running. I think 2:45 is sensible for a 2:50-3:00 hour marathon. The nice thing about getting faster is you can spend less time on your feet for the long runs (doesn't mean fewer mile though). A guy featured in Running Times last month does 32 mile long runs on the roads. He also does triples. Whatever works!

Big congrats on the ginormous week Joe! That's awesome. Your body's learning lots of good stuff. Nice job bucking that wind today, too. A good 10 mph headwind raceday might do you a bit of good.

Nice week! Impressive! Look out Boston!

Monday through Friday is the CORRECT way to add up your weeks!

The adaptations you make with the increased mileage and doubles don't immediately go away. When you switch back to singles, if you keep the long runs and occasional mid-week "medium" long run, you'll keep that extra endurance you've built up. This cycle will pay dividends in Boston, and whatever comes after as well.

Awesome Joe! 100 miles whew! I am so excited for Boston, you are going to absolutely destroy it. You have trained amazingly, and you are a smart and tactical racer!

Congratulations,that is just tremendous. With any luck at all you are going to kill that course in Massachusetts.

Congrats on your 100mi week! You're definitely ready for Boston. Such an exciting time and will be an awesome experience!

Jason - if i did triples I think I would be "single" again.

Matt - from what I hear the last 5 miles usually have a headwind...guess we'll see...I'd rather not!

Tracy - thanks!

Jake - that's about what I thought; I think I just need to keep up a solid 70+ or so and can still improve a lot off of that.

April - thanks - trying to walk that line of getting great training yet not show up injured or overtrained

Flat - thanks

BnS - thanks, hope so!

Congrats!

Awesome week Joe!

I take a bow to the 100 Miler Guy...! Great effort Joe!

You've been logging some serious miles! Hopefully, that spot near your hill is a short lived nuisance.

Could be worse weather-wise; you could have 7 inches of snow!

Take care of that spot. No idea what it could be. 3 weeks!

ACorn - looks like it was, hopefully

Jason - Oh, I'm not complaining...I wish it would stay like this..

I meant heal. Not hill. Too much running on the brain.

It might be the taper phantom pains hitting early. Better to be paranoid and not have your suspicions confirmed.