Here, I'll simply copy the email I just sent Liza:
Sounds like a whole new ballgame for the podium competition! Yet I'm afraid I must confess that I've been dealing with woes of my own. It was in the last couple miles of my last big training run (on 02/23/13) before taper time that my left foot started to give out on me --- and then when I tried to run a short cool down afterwards, I was practically limping. Hoping it was just a bad tweak, I went into active recovery mode, confining myself to the elliptical machine for the next 11 days save for a couple very brief runs that showed little indication of improvement. And though I have not been to a podiatrist, online research points heavily to signs of posterior tibial tendonitis (the inner side of my left foot has been distinctly swollen). However, after purchasing an ankle brace the other day, I tried it out last night and did quite well with a swift 7-mile run (still rather painful, but nonetheless remarkably improved from the 2 miles I tried on Tuesday). Thus I'm not ready to scratch myself from the marathon just yet. I'm going to go for a short, easy run tomorrow, and the way that run goes will determine the final verdict. Yet even if I realize that I'm in no practical condition to race a marathon the next day, there is the possibility that I could take a cue from Josh Dawson and treat the LPRM as a big long run --- in which I'd still hope to improve significantly over my 3:40:17 PR. So here's hoping that tomorrow's race eve run goes miraculously well! I expect Demers to make a sensational marathon debut. He definitely has the potential to go sub-2:45:00, I think.
---
That would be a fun goal --- to treat the LPRM as a long run, but still post a time that Phil would be challenged to beat at Shamrock (I'm talking sub-3:15:00).
LPRM 2013 didn't quite work out as planned. It was originally supposed to be a race that Perry, DR, Joe, and I all did--we've never done that for anything above a 5K. Now it looks like Perry may be the only one running.
Options,Account, Forums
Ocean Drive marathon, Cape May, March 24 - $100http://www.marathonguide.com/races/racedetails.cfm?MIDD=497130324(Reston Marathon (Mar 24) is closed)Charlottesville Marathon, Apr 6 - $120http://www.marathonguide.com/races/racedetails.cfm?MIDD=1923130406Blue Ridge marathon, Apr 20 - $1003600 ft elevation gainhttp://www.marathonguide.com/races/racedetails.cfm?MIDD=3360130420
It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
The Marine Corp Marathon registration begins on in 15 days. That could be a re-do for LPRM where Perry, Joe, DR, and I all break 3 hours in the marathon (would not be the first sub-marathon for Joe, but would for the rest of us). It is semi local too. Its also in October when presumably the heat is mellowing a little bit.
By the time October rolls around you have many options for marathons up and down the coast.
I don't think I can commit to a race some seven months away, and the MCM seems like too big and hectic of an event for my preferences. Plus I'd rather not create a schedule conflict with the LPR10 just yet. Meanwhile, the Charlottesvile Marathon on April 6th is kind of tempting (minus the price!), but I'm afraid that my window of marathon opportunity has more or less passed --- because right now I'm just trying to heal. However, if by some chance I could be back to relatively normal running by this weekend, then I have the perfect, proven three-week 10k training plan available (just swap Kiwanis with Hospice and the time range of 05/13/12 to 06/09/12 with 03/17/13 to 04/13/13 ... oh, and eliminate the intermissions amidst interval sets).
posted: 5/14/2012 at 10:01 AMmodified: 6/5/2012 at 9:29 PM
To Kiwanis:
Week of 05/13/12 - 05/19/12
During week: modest steady state (9 miles) √;
10 X sub-2:45 800s (connected by continuous 400m recoveries except for intermission after 800 #5) √
Weekend: significant long run (18 miles) √
Week of 05/20/12 - 05/26/12
During week: Camp Calvert Rd hills workout (6 X 0.25-mile ascents) √
Weekend: 14-mile progressive tempo with opening 9 miles at steady state pace and final 5 miles at hard tempo pace √
Week of 05/27/12 - 06/02/12
During week: 8 X sub-4:1221 1200s (connected by continuous 400m recoveries except for intermission after 1200 #4) √
Weekend: long run (16 miles) √
Week of 06/03/12 - 06/09/12
During week: minor speed workout ("12 X 200" Fartlek speed spurts amidst 8 miles) √
Weekend: Crofton Kiwanis 10k
If you truly did damage to your tendon, then I caution you against holding yourself to planned workouts. It's debatable that holding yourself to planned arbitrary workouts is what led to injury in the first place. I sincerely recommend that you not resume difficult workouts until easy running and strides are completely comfortable.
I'll admit that I've had a couple sobering reminders just since yesterday that my left ankle is still somewhat messed up (in retrospect it's seeming increasingly absurd that, as late as Saturday morning, I was even still considering the marathon). So my 10k ambitions are highly tentative at this point, depending on how the next few days go. What's reassuring, however, is that I'm ahead of where I was at this time last year. It was the day before the 2012 LPRM that I wrecked my right Achilles, and I didn't manage to run a whole mile again until 03/17/2012. Then, after managing an easy 4 miles on 03/23/2012 (just a few hours before Joe's birthday bash), I had a risky couple of weeks in which I resumed 5k training despite not being fully recovered. And though this culminated with a lackluster performance at Hospice, it was just two months after my Achilles injury that I pulled off my best 5k effort to date (at that time) via Young Life. So, being that my annual ankle injury took place two weeks before the 2013 LPRM, I'm two weeks ahead of last year's schedule as far as my Hospice recovery comeback goes.
As far as a retry of the group marathon experience for me, Perry, Joe, and Phil, maybe the 2014 LPRM will be the one to work out for everyone. It will be a special day, regardless: the 10th anniversary of the event!
Christina says good weather forecast tomorrow for Shamrock. Phil looks very tapered up.
It's too soon to start seriously thinking about this, but I am casually considering the possibilities:
http://www.safetyandhealthfoundation.org/marathon/
How very fitting it would be to return to the very same scene of my wintry half marathon glory to reap full marathon vengeance. However, having run the Snapple High Cloud Half there, I have no doubt that half of the marathon (assuming it's an out and back course) would be the "easiest marathon in America", as advertised, but only the downriver half. The rest would have to be gradually arduous --- especially if the latter half is the upriver half (as was the case at Snapple).
Phil,
Are you planning to run ES6?
Phil, Are you planning to run ES6?
Yes. Though my training is doing poorly.
Yeah, well, I haven't made any great headway on training for ES6 either. Between a busy schedule, going to Florida, and getting sick for a week I've had some low mileage. No worries though - remember, you can stop after any 4 mile loop on ES6. I did 18 miles last year without training for it.
Don't forget to sign up.
This is a pretty great race entry form (Wickham Park mara/50/100/200).
The stage is now officially set for a comeback:
Registration Confirmation for:
Crofton Kiwanis/Team Surlis Realtors 10K Challenge
Dear David,
Congratulations! You are now registered for Crofton Kiwanis/Team Surlis Realtors 10K Challenge. Please check the event's official website for updates: http://www.croftonkiwanis.org
Any chance you'll come up for this, Phil? I suggested to Joe during our Ab Crest run yesterday morning that he should aim to beat your time from last year (walking time included).