Beginners and Beyond

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Holly Jolly HM RR - a marathon training tune-up, I guess... (Read 71 times)

Jack K.


uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI

    Who: Jack Klompus

    What: Holly Jolly Half Marathon (there was also a 5k and 10k)

    Why: to get a good idea of my fitness before I start marathon training next week

    Where: Camarillo, CA

    When: December 21, 2014

     

     

     

    Ok, so I was injured for a while with piriformis on one side and PF on the other. I could run through the PF but the piriformis really knocked me on my butt (no pun intended). After taking about three weeks off with no running I started up again doing nothing but easy runs for about six weeks, slowly building my mpw from 15 to about 35. When I felt ready I started throwing in some Daniels speed workouts done on the track, first one a week and then two. A few weeks ago I ran the local 5k and got a 21:03. With marathon training coming up I knew this wasn’t a good indicator of GMP so I signed up for this HM with the intention of “just doing what I could do.”

     

    No pictures today because my official photographers (DW and DD1) could not be bothered to get out of bed at 5:30.

     

    For breakfast I had a piece of apple cinnamon bread with a bit of peanut butter, a Clif bar, and some Gatorade. It was an hour drive to the race but it was nice because it was dark, there were few cars on the highway, and I could listen to what I wanted on the radio. Serious XM channels 33 and 34 usually are good.

     

    After getting to the race, I got my bib and shoe chip and took care of business in the port o’ potty. I had no clue about pace for this so I thought 8:00 might be good and I chatted with the 1:45 pace guy for a bit.

     

    At the gun, I went out too fast and ran the first mile (a bit uphill) in 7:39. I wanted to slow down just a little but I was feeling good. Also, Moth had said, if anything, race the first 10 miles and then try to hold on. The course was close to sea level so it was mostly flat and the hills that were there were gradual. The downhill bits, however, felt VERY good and I had no problem letting gravity help the cause. You can see on my splits that I got faster on miles 3-6.

     

     

    The course was a double loop of the 10k course and at mile 4 we joined up with them and the 5k people. This was a small, fun, local race so there were quite a few walkers and slow joggers. Even though they were going slow, it felt good to pass them and when they would say “Good job” it gave me that little boost of adrenaline that always helps.

     

    Now, this is key: at the 10k mark, of the there was a turn-around of about a half-mile or so. As I was on my way back the runners behind me were coming in the opposite direction so we were face to face. Make sense? This young buck of about 25 points to me and says “Nice pace but I’m going to catch you eventually.” I yelled back “Go for it, I hope you do!” This was key because now my stubbornness kicked in and I told myself there was no way that guy was going to pass me. No way!

     

    At about 50 minutes I took my one and only GU. Well, I had one right before the race as well. I was still going faster and could not believe it. Mile 8 7:22. Mile 9 7:20… but this is when I start to hurt in my hips. Again, I was stubborn and said to myself “Just hold on, you baby, it’s only 40 more minutes.”

     

    Another key part for me was that I noticed I had slowly been catching up to the 1:40 pacer. I finally did catch her somewhere between miles 9 and 10 and I asked her if she was right on pace. “Actually, I’m a little early so I have to slow down. If you keep going you will get about a 1:38.” I said, “Holy crap I’m going that fast?!” “Yes you are and you got it!” was her reply. Oh man, now I knew I could do it. I remembered what Goo had taught me about the end of a marathon and this was how I was treating it. I knew I had some left in the tank (in hindsight, maybe too much) and I tried to put the hammer down. Last three splits in 7:22, 7:06, and 7:01. The last .2 was in 6:27.

     

    There was a cool chute to run through to the finish but I didn’t get one clap! LMAO!! People just kind of stood there watching. This was nothing like Lily’s finish in Cancun with the screaming and glow sticks. Funny stuff. I didn’t care one iota because my time was 1:37:03 and I was (and still am) over the moon. With no specific HM training this time was only 1:04 off my pr. Oh man, I’ll take that any day!

     

     

     

    The overall results aren’t in yet but I was third in my age group (40-49) and tenth overall. I got one of those little shoe bags for the AG placement and I will never use it so I gave it to some little kid and she was happy.

     

    I saw the guy who said he was going to pass me and we did a fist bump/man hug type of thing and had a laugh. I actually thanked him for running his mouth because he helped me get that time.

     

     

     

    Tonight our friends are having a dinner bash so believe me I a going to get well FAT for just this one night!

     

     

    What’s next: I accomplished my goal of getting a good idea of my fitness level for marathon training. My time is just icing on the cake. DW and I are running the Avenue of the Giants Marathon on May 3 if you care to join us. I’ve heard that for many people it is a destination/bucket list type of race. I’ll be using the Pfitz 18/55 plan and have a good idea of what to do. I don’t have any goals just yet, just to train well and not get frickin’ injured while doing it. I suppose I will have a time goal when I’m well into it.

     

    Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

    wcrunner2


    Are we there, yet?

      That should be a confidence booster.

       2024 Races:

            03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

            05/11 - D3 50K
            05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

            06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

       

       

           

      PADRunner


        I'd say your pretty well in tune! Congrats.

        GinnyinPA


          Congratulations!  If you could speed up that much in the last two miles, you probably did leave some on the course, but you did great. Your pace was very consistent, especially given the hills.   Do you have another HM between now and May?

          Brilliant


            Fantastic race and report!  Almost every mile got faster than the last.  Congrats.

            Docket_Rocket


              Great job!  And glad you did not let him pass you!

              Damaris

               

              As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

              Fundraising Page

              LRB


                Well done.


                on my way to badass

                  Outstanding!

                  Still waiting for the perfect race picture. 5K PR-33:52 , 10K PR 1:11:16, First HM 2:42:28

                  Cyberic


                    Nice going. I'm sure the good tunes in the car, driving up to the race, are what got you pumped up like that!


                    delicate flower

                      Kick ass.  You have not lost much of anything speed-wise, and your endurance will come back quickly...it's not like you missed months of training.  Really happy for you, Klompus!!

                       

                      SiriusXM channels 36 (Alt Nation) and 38 (Ozzy's Boneyard) are good for pre-race tunes too.

                      <3

                      Robert31320


                      Team TJ

                        Nice work, Mr. Klompus!

                        Running for TJ because he can't.

                         

                        bluerun


                        Super B****

                          That's awesome!  You're going to crush your marathon, it looks like.

                          chasing the impossible

                           

                          because i never shut up ... i blog

                          outoftheblue


                            That had to feel great!  Congrats and good luck with your training for Ave of the Giants.

                            Life is good.


                            From the Internet.

                              Nice job!! Good luck with marathon training, you'll kill it I think!

                              Jack K.


                              uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI

                                Thanks for the kind words. Smile Yes, it does indeed feel good.

                                 

                                Ginny: I might run a HM about eight weeks out from the marathon. There is a 10k the same day so I will likely do one or the other.

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