Forums >Racing>1 day to go (to Boston)
In 2009, BIB 4564 finished in 3:01:35. I won't be able to do that. If I am lucky, I will get sub 3:05 at best.
Anyone look up the 2009 finishing time of the person wearing your bib? Are they faster, slower, older or younger than you?
3955 was a 41 year old male who went 2:59:52.
That was originally my goal but I think due to some down time in February, it'd be wise to not attempt to match his result.
Honestly, most of the hay is in the barn at this point. Still some key workouts left, though... Tomorrow - 5x1200 at 5k pace This Sunday - my last 20-miler Two weeks from Boston - 10k race The rest is just easy runs and some shorter/faster stuff. I did have a great tempo run this past Saturday, though. I measured a 3-mile loop near my house and ran it twice. First lap at 6:28 pace and second lap at 6:13 pace, and finished with another minute at 6:08 pace. It ended up being just short of a full 10k with an average pace of 6:20 per mile. Yeah, I should be able to run that pace, but the cool thing was that it felt totally smooth, controlled, and definitely tempo pace (i.e., not a race effort). Of course, the next day's 17-miler felt like a friggin' death march the last 7 miles, yuck. But overall I am feeling good and ready. Thunder, what about you? A couple more 50k "tuneup" races between now and Boston?
Honestly, most of the hay is in the barn at this point. Still some key workouts left, though...
Tomorrow - 5x1200 at 5k pace
This Sunday - my last 20-miler
Two weeks from Boston - 10k race
The rest is just easy runs and some shorter/faster stuff.
I did have a great tempo run this past Saturday, though. I measured a 3-mile loop near my house and ran it twice. First lap at 6:28 pace and second lap at 6:13 pace, and finished with another minute at 6:08 pace. It ended up being just short of a full 10k with an average pace of 6:20 per mile.
Yeah, I should be able to run that pace, but the cool thing was that it felt totally smooth, controlled, and definitely tempo pace (i.e., not a race effort).
Of course, the next day's 17-miler felt like a friggin' death march the last 7 miles, yuck. But overall I am feeling good and ready.
Thunder, what about you? A couple more 50k "tuneup" races between now and Boston?
Looking good, Dakota. Indeed, hay in the barn.
Coincidentally, I had a 5x 1200m planned too which I ran tonight.
ken - #2088, eh? I'm #2120, I know flovesparko?? is #2129.. #2120 ran a 2:57:59 last year in (1:23:20, 1:34:39). Not the best way to run sub-3... #2119 ran 2:47:12 (1:23:00, 1:24:12, the right way to run Boston!!), #2121 ran a 2:57:59 also (1:26:23, 1:31:36)....
I ran 6x1200m this AM. Fun, fun, fun!!!
ken - #2088, eh? I'm #2120, I know flovesparko?? is #2129.. #2120 ran a 2:57:59 last year in (1:23:20, 1:34:39). Not the best way to run sub-3... #2119 ran 2:47:12 (1:23:00, 1:24:12, the right way to run Boston!!), #2121 ran a 2:57:59 also (1:26:23, 1:31:36).... I ran 6x1200m this AM. Fun, fun, fun!!!
Blimey, you boys are really pushing hard towards Boston, there's some heavy miles being run here. I'm really looking forward to all your performances there (especially the Thunder - Dakota showdown of course!).
Right on Hereford...
Looking good, Dakota. Indeed, hay in the barn. Coincidentally, I had a 5x 1200m planned too which I ran tonight.
Thanks, roots. And nice job on last night's workout. You nailed that one. I hope Thunder and I (and dacook) can keep up with you at Boston.
How cool would it be if we all passed mile 25 as a group and then kicked it to Boylston Street?
My bib from last year had no info so I checked # 2130 3:04:45 (1:26, 1:38:45). It looks like most people go out too hard and die, nothing surprising. I may just do the same thing this year as I'm really trying to shave five minutes. I know I can finish a marathon, now I'm looking to see how fast. I may blow up.
Tonight I'm running 12-14 miles with 5 x 1200 at 5K pace.
Marquess of Utopia
I do not think you'll benefit from a 5x1200 at 5K pace... I would do something like 8-10x2min at 1/2 to 10K pace with 1 minute recovery at regular/easy pace.
Or 4x10min at 1/2 pace with 2-4 min recovery at regular/easy pace.
Or 3x17min at 5 - 10 seconds faster than MP
Or a long 10-12 mile tempo run at or a little faster than marathon pace.
And easy progression runs that work up to MP or MP-20.
And then shakeout runs at MP
IMHO* 3-4 weeks out we should be narrowing the focus on marathon race pace.
* = I'm still recovering from an injury; so I know I did something stupid in my training.
(Thanks Dakota... and yes I'm a Hudson fan...)
It looks like most people go out too hard and die, nothing surprising.
On the bright side, it's Boston. I kinda blew up last year with a blister that really made its presence known around mile 23. I stopped to gather myself, and found that I had instantly picked up about 100 coaches/cheerleaders. Awesome stuff.
E.J.Greater Lowell Road RunnersCry havoc and let slip the dawgs of war!May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your SPF30, may the rains fall soft upon your sweat-wicking hat, and until you hit the finish line may The Flying Spaghetti Monster hold you in the hollow of His Noodly Appendage.
The Thunder
My bib from last year went out in 1:27 and finished in 3:07. That's not a good omen.
Key workouts? Well I was planning on doing some easy 1200's last night at about 10k pace...but a buddy of mine got me caught up in 400's instead...and I felt like total dogshit when I started the run anyway. So that was really a pleasure. I'm just trying to put in another big week....one more workout next week and I'll drop that mileage back down to my 'sane' typical mileage, then a 10k race 9 days out. That may be a little close....but I feel like I need to know where I'm at. Plus, my 10k PR is really weak and I need to knock a couple minutes of that. So that's my plan.
As far as Dakota and dacook....I'm actually really more focused on two other guys. Two guys I went to college with will be in my corral too. I've beaten one of them once...and never the other guy. I think I have a shot at taking them both out. That's my real goal. That's what's driving me right now. I was the slow walk on guy in college (still slowish) and I've "collected the scalps" of all my former teammates except this one guy. He's there, and I need his scalp to complete my collection. That's all I think about on every run I do. Seeing him at mile 24. I'll go ahead and apologize to Dakota and dacook...if you guys are with me at 24, and I see this dude....you better be ready to roll some sub 6's those last two miles. Because I will run myself into the depths of hell to get his scalp.
1 Hip and 2 Hamstring reconstructions later…
I do think you'll benefit from a 5x1200 at 5K pace... I would do something like 8-10x2min at 1/2 to 10K pace with 1 minute recovery at regular/easy pace. Or 4x10min at 1/2 pace with 2-4 min recovery at regular/easy pace. Or a long 10-12 mile tempo run at or a little faster than marathon pace. And easy progression runs that work up to MP or MP-20. And then shakeout runs at MP IMHO* 3-4 weeks out we should be narrowing the focus on marathon race pace. * = I'm still recovering from an injury; so I know I did something stupid in my training.
I do think you'll benefit from a 5x1200 at 5K pace... I would do something like 8-10x2min at 1/2 to 10K pace with 1 minute recovery at regular/easy pace.
Riggs, from the way you wrote this, it looks like you meant, "i do not think you'll benefit from a 5x1200 at 5k pace"?
I think a lot of us are doing this workout because we're following Pfitz plans, and he includes a weekly interval session at 5k pace during this phase of marathon training. He calls it "Race Preparation." Yeah, it's faster than marathon pace, but we've already done a bunch of MP work at this point.
On the flip side, I just finished reading Hudson's book, and he agrees with you. Focus on race pace in the final weeks before a goal race.
I don't think either approach is wrong, but I also don't know if one is better than another. It might be true that one approach would work better for a given individual than another. Pfitz worked well for me last time, but I also haven't tried Hudson's method, so I can't really compare.
So, who the hell knows.
My bib from last year went out in 1:27 and finished in 3:07. That's not a good omen. Key workouts? Well I was planning on doing some easy 1200's last night at about 10k pace...but a buddy of mine got me caught up in 400's instead...and I felt like total dogshit when I started the run anyway. So that was really a pleasure. I'm just trying to put in another big week....one more workout next week and I'll drop that mileage back down to my 'sane' typical mileage, then a 10k race 9 days out. That may be a little close....but I feel like I need to know where I'm at. Plus, my 10k PR is really weak and I need to knock a couple minutes of that. So that's my plan. As far as Dakota and dacook....I'm actually really more focused on two other guys. Two guys I went to college with will be in my corral too. I've beaten one of them once...and never the other guy. I think I have a shot at taking them both out. That's my real goal. That's what's driving me right now. I was the slow walk on guy in college (still slowish) and I've "collected the scalps" of all my former teammates except this one guy. He's there, and I need his scalp to complete my collection. That's all I think about on every run I do. Seeing him at mile 24. I'll go ahead and apologize to Dakota and dacook...if you guys are with me at 24, and I see this dude....you better be ready to roll some sub 6's those last two miles. Because I will run myself into the depths of hell to get his scalp.
Thunder, if you can drop sub-6's in the last two miles, you went out too slow.
And hey, I like the diversion attempt. It will make it much easier for you to save face when I run you into the ground.
"Yeah, Dakota beat me, but I really didn't care about that. My real goal was to beat my college buddy, which I did, so I'm happy."
Or...
"Yeah, Dakota beat me, but that's only because I killed myself trying to stay with my college buddy."
See?
Has anyone used this tool?
http://www.marathonguide.com/news/exclusives/BostonMarathon_2009/Calculator.cfm
If you are looking to run sub-2:50, I would probably think something like 1:24:15-1:25:30/1:25:45 would be the best way to do it... Don't go running a 1:22/low 1:23 first half...
Excellent advice, I just got done reviewing most of the results from last year in the 2:48-2:50 range and quite a few guys were able to run very consistent going out at the pace you listed. My true goal is 2:49:59. All things will have to go well to achieve it. I will still be happy with low 2:50's.