Notes
Just ran a nearly 6 minute pr in the marathon.
Report: 2014 California International Marathon (CIM)
SACRAMENTO, CA: Notes and reflections from marathon #18 (or #27 of marathon-plus distance).
It’s hard to know where to begin. It’s hard not to write this report in a way that makes the result seem inevitable. It’s hard to know how to capture what happened two days ago in Sacramento in ways that I want to remember for the rest of my life. Does objectivity even matter at this point?
Finally breaking 3 hours in the marathon is a goal that I’ve thought about for so long that it became abstract. It was omnipresent but untouchable. It was so long in the making that I didn’t really know if it was possible. I told everyone that I was training for sub-3 but the truth was it just felt like part of my routine.
The marathon is a fickle mistress. You cannot know how to train and just run (Marine Corps 2008, Big Sur 2009). You can train and get a cold the week before your race (NYC 2009), show up with bad strategy (Pittsburgh 2010), toe the line in weather too hot (Chicago 2010, Boston 2012) or too windy (Toledo 2011) to race. Or, you can fall out of shape and get fat to make racing impossible (Boston 2013). Other times you race and PR (Towpath 2011) but you are really focusing on another event (JFK 50 2011). Then, occasionally, you show up a little over-trained and ignore your experiences and good sense by charging too early (Canton 2014). I am not complaining. I have had more legitimate shots on goal than most.
I also don’t believe in fate. I believe in structures and creating the conditions that favor success. Regardless of weather, too much training, too little training, bad strategy, or timing, I always train hard. Along the way the experiences I have bagged got added to my repertoire. I’ve been in the game long enough to know that perfect days where all the stars align are more legend than likely.
When Jasna and I moved back from DC in May 2013, I was heavy and out of shape. One of my running buddies smiled and said, “We are going to run the fat off you.” As the months passed, another said, “Stacher…No more walking up hills, come on.” I stuck with it. I used NYC in 2013 as my comeback race. I was steady and had a great experience finishing in 3:22. Then I poured it on. I decided to build a base for 2014. I ran 1366 miles over 153 consecutive days during the coldest winter that I have ever experienced in Ohio. I had three goals for 2014: 1) a sub-4 at the GJ50K, 2) a sub-5 at the BT50K, and 3) a sub-3 marathon in Columbus in the fall.
After breaking 4 at the Jewel, I decided to race at the HoF marathon in Canton. My racing choices were not pretty but the experience seared a couple lessons into my brain. Quit over racing close to marathon day, taper more, and be more patient after 13.1 miles. The summer went well but I had no juice left at the BT50K despite finishing 9th overall. I missed sub-5 by 13 minutes. I took very little time off and then ramped up for Columbus. Two weeks into the cycle, everything was so tight from the waist down that I hurt on most of my runs. Lloyd came to the rescue and introduced me to Shana, who is a massage therapist at ActivPT. I quickly became a believer. But when I took two weeks to sort out my tightness, I was losing precious days in my build-up to Columbus. I decided to shut it down and reassess. August was my lowest mileage month of the year (189). It was also the only month under 200.
After thinking it over and realizing that I needed 12 weeks after I recovered, the weekend of December 6-7 showed itself to be a possible window for racing a marathon. I looked around and found California International Marathon in Sacramento. It seemed to have reasonable weather, was a net downhill course, has an organic bottom up feel while also being competitive, and is close to where Lloyd and Andrea moved in September. Last but not least – the airfare was not bad and the hotels in Sac-town are cheap. I spoke to Jasna about it. She just looked at me and said, “You’ve worked really hard and if you think you can break-3 there, I want you to have a shot.” We went away to Denver and Boulder on in mid-September. I didn’t run on our get-away. Then, on September 15, I started my CIM cycle.
At LT’s suggestion, I decided to follow the Advanced Marathon plan (55-to-70 mpw for 12-weeks) in Pete Pfitzinger’s book. There are five differences between Pftiz’s plans and Lloyd’s designs. First, they swap the Tempo and Interval pace workouts. Pftiz has t-pace upfront and i-pace in the back and LT does it the other way. Second, t-pace is continuous and not broken up with any rest. Third, i-pace is done with compressed recovery as opposed to equal recovery between reps (I kept mine at 60%). Fourth, m-pace is done early in the cycle as opposed to late. Lastly, a mid-week run that qualifies a long run (15 miles) happens each week. So I began my cycle. Thankfully, I had a big base and my body can handle volume. I followed Pfitz’s plan as directed but changed the order of daily to fit my schedule. But I kept his principle of easy-hard-easy-hard and avoided back-to-back hard days.
The other advantage to starting the cycle in mid-September when the rest of my friends are racing their marathons is that I had good weather to train in. It was not too hot and not frigid (until the last third of the cycle). I would largely be solo on my workouts but my friends would come out for the weekend long runs and keep me motivated and positive. I ran my first 8 miles at m-pace and average 6’54” pace in September. I was in way over my head. There is no way that was comfy or possible for a full marathon. Rob told me to relax – the cycle hadn’t even started.
Things progressed. I’d run with Larry in the pre-dawn hours some days. I had my clothes and shoes with me at work if needed to squeeze time. I used Thursdays to do my mid-week long run (6 weeks of 15 milers). On weekends, the boys and I would do work in the CVNP or out in Hinckley. The days and weeks ticked away and CIM got closer. I would visit Shana every 3 weeks or so to keep everything loose. I cut my carb in-take by probably two-thirds, and I abstained from beer (I think I had 8 beers total over the 12 week cycle). I would stretch at night while watching sports or TV with Jasna.
On October 26, I raced the Buckeye Half-Marathon. I wanted a 1:24 (6’23”pace). During that race, I was cruising and hit mile 7 and started falling apart. Everything got hard and doubts crept in. During mile 8 I almost walked off the course. I had the excuse ready – 7 miles at almost t-pace is enough for day. But something happened. I hit the 9 mile mark and everything fell back in place and I had my fastest miles of the day. I finished in 8th place in 1:24’59” (6’30”). It was a PR by nearly 3’. I was pissed though. I wanted the 1:24-low. I complained on text to Rob and LT “This is a 1:25. Not fast enough.” LT told me I was in the ballpark. After the race, Pfitz recommends that you do another race (a 5k). I thought about it. I liked that my racing mentality emerged and I stuck out that rough patch during the half. I figured that was a positive and this was the only race I did in the lead-up to CIM. I finished out the next month by doing the i-pace. My last workout was during the taper on Thanksgiving morning. On a snow-covered track at Brecksville HS, I used my shoe to create a start/finish line and then did 3x1mile at 5’48” pace with 3’28” rest in between reps.
I never doubted that I was in good shape. I dropped over 10lbs. I told anyone who would listen that I had never been in this kind of shape. I had done the work and kept my miles high. I barely ever had a GU during the cycle – I was trying to use the train low, race high approach. Here’s my MPW over the cycle: 56, 57, 66, 72, 64, 68, 71, 66, 81, 49, 45, & 28. I also made one other big change in addition to tweaking my diet, getting massages, and slightly changing the plan. I decided to take a 3-week taper, which I have not done since marathon #2. I just wanted the extra week of rest after reading what Pfitz writes about the taper in his book.
The weird part about the taper is I had no taper madness. I was so confident. I was not stressing about the weather. I stayed focused on eating right. I kept my intensity during the taper and tried to get enough sleep. Jasna sent me a text the week of the race that just read, “Eli and I think you are going to break 3. Love you.” I couldn’t wait to go to California but I had no nerves and wasn’t anxious. As I explained to Rob and Larry on our runs, “There’s nothing too complicated about the plan. I want to run a 1:29’10” first half. This will let me lose 1-2% and still give me time to break 3.” I would talk and talk about breaking 3 but it seemed distance or unknowable.
I got a final tune-up massage on Tuesday before the marathon. On Friday, I flew to Chicago. I met Dad in O’Hare and we flew to Sacramento together. We got to Sacramento around 12pm. We headed to the hotel and then got some Mexican. Afterwards, we hit the expo to collect my bib and shirt. Basically, by 7pm, we were both drifting off as we were on EST. I woke up at 440am on Saturday. Dad and I headed downtown for a shakeout run. We started at the Capitol Building and then I headed east before looping onto L street around 25th Street. It was the last 1.5 of the course. I wanted to finish my shake out run there. My pace was probably a bit quick but I was so springy. I counted down the streets, looked at the buildings, and made the left on 8th and then another left on Capitol Street and went up the short way to where the finish would be. I did 4 striders in front of the finish line. I told myself, “If it comes down to it, you have to be ready to sprint.” As the sun came up, we shuffled back to the hotel, showered, and headed off to Auburn to watch the WS100 Lottery. It was a good call. There was a lot of positive runner vibes everywhere but you were essentially sitting (with your legs up). After the lottery, we had a breakfast in Auburn before returning back to Sacramento. On the way back, Dad asked me if I wanted to talk to a pacer. I told him I was not sure because I hadn’t planned on running with a pacer. As we got closer to Sacramento, I thought it couldn’t hurt. We went to the expo and I talked to a guy about the course. He told me what I knew: More downhill than up but lots of rollers. But then he said, “The toughest part is between 8-13 miles. And then there is a bump at 22 as you go over a bridge that always surprises everyone.” This was helpful. I could mentally prepare for it. We went back to the hotel and chilled out.
Lloyd and Andrea showed up around 530pm and we headed to a Buca di Beppo for some pasta. I know convention is shifting and says runners shouldn’t be carb-ing up anymore but one is a creature of habit and routine. And this is what I eat before the marathon. It was great hearing about their new life in CA and just being in a relaxed setting. We got back to the hotel around 8pm. I was asleep by 830pm. I had laid everything out earlier in the day.
I set the alarm for 4am because the buses for the start were supposed to leave at 5am. I was up a good part of the night. It was a restless for sure. But I was not nervous – I was ready to race. Dad followed me down to the bus. The busses showed up around 5 and we headed to Folsom about 520am. The way out I was chatting with people. Everyone seemed anxious but I was pretty matter-of-fact. When someone asked me, “What’s your goal?” I replied, “I am trying to break 3.”
We got to the start about 65’ minutes before the gun. I used the bathroom and then went and sat down by the start. I massaged my legs and then about 15’ before the start, I ran 2.5 minutes out and then back. The weather was pristine. It was 53-degrees and no wind. Someone said it was humid. I wanted to giggle because it was not really humid. August in Ohio is humid. I looked at the splits I wrote on my arm with a sharpie (5, 10, 15, 20, 23). The anthem was sung and then before I knew it, the gun sounded. I crossed 10” after the gun.
Miles 1-5 (6’47”, 6’50”, 6’42”, 6’47”, 6’43”)
Usually, the first mile is supposed to be conservative. It’s never as conservative as we say it will be but it should not be stressful. Well, the first mile was slightly downhill. I decided I would not waste it. I ran a 6’47”. I backed it off on mile 2 (6’50”). Good. Now there is a rhythm. The third mile was downhill. I hit it in 6’42”. My brain registered it and listened to my breath. I pulled it back with a 6’47”. I was about to cross the 5-mile mark. I did not feel like I was working but I was thinking about how early it was. I crossed the fifth mile in 6’43”. I knew the split on my arm said 34-something but I forgot to check. I passed LT, Andrea and Dad and told LT I was “comfy”.
Miles 6-10 (6’47”, 6’47”, 6’49” 6’48”, 6’41”)
The next set of miles were probably were I was most anxious. I caught up with the 3-hour pace group around mile 7/8. Although my miles were clicking off nicely, I did not want to run with a group. I tried to relax. I went over to the pacer and asked him if he was ahead of schedule and what his plan was. He said he was and wanted to be about 1’ ahead at 13.1. This was roughly my plan so I thought about staying with the large pack. But I was not really happy in the group. I looked at my arm (1:08’39”). As I got closer to the 10-mile mark, I pulled ahead. I wanted some distance. I crossed mile 10 at 1:07:55. If I wanted to be at 1:29’10” at the half, I was right there. I saw LT, Andrea and Dad again. As I ran by them, I asked for a bottle of water at 15. I didn’t want to deal with water stations. I wanted to just keep moving, drink at my leisure, and not have to slow down.
Miles 11-15 (6’41”, 6’52”, 6’53”, 6’43”, 6’49”)
Buoyed by a downhill on 10, I kept the legs turning when I saw the massive downhill. I had heard that it was so steep that it was scary. It wasn’t if you run in the CVNP or Brecksville. It was long and gradual and perfect for blitzing under control. I said to the guy next to me, “Wow. Look at this.” He answered, “Would you rather be going up?” Shortly after we were, in fact, going up. I took a GU at 1:18 (3’ late because I was not paying attention). As I went up the hill, I thought to myself, “Give back some time. Think effort, not pace.” I crossed the halfway mark and looked down – 1:29’09”. I had told everyone 1:29’10”. I thought to myself – “Wow. Ok Stacher. You wanted this. There you are plus an extra second.” I started to think, “Can you run another one like that? I don’t have to. I can run a 1:30’50” and I’m good.” I quickly refocused and remembered reading the Pfitz book. He writes that miles 13-20 are the no man’s land in the marathon. It is also the spot where I got out of control at Canton. So I want to keep patient and under control. I was supposed to be at mile 15 in 1:42’58”. I don’t remember what I crossed in but I had over a minute to work with. I saw LT, Andrea, and Dad again. Andrea handed me a bottle of water. I thought to myself, “Ok. Stay right on this pace. We are good.”
Miles 16-20 (6’47”, 6’44”, 6’46”, 6’46” 6’45”)
I don’t remember speeding up through this section but this was my fastest five-mile segment. I was moving along. I took another GU at 1:45. The miles ticked off and I remember thinking “9 miles,” 8 miles,” “7 miles, I can do 7 miles.” I took another GU on schedule at 2:15. One minute later, I crossed the 20-mile mark at 2:16’03”. LT always says that you never know what kind of day you will have at the marathon until you hit the 2-hour mark. I crossed the 2-hour mark and felt flat. I did not feel bad but I also was not ready to race. I started doing math. My arm said 2:17’18”. I have 1’15” to spare. I remember thinking that I can run 7’ miles and still break 3. I remember thinking that I can run a 43’30” 10k but sub-3 still felt like too big a goal to wrap my head around. I needed to break it up a bit more. Even a 10K felt too big. I did not feel bad but I knew I was in for a battle.
Miles 21-25 (6’47”, 6’49”, 6’49”, 6’49”, 6’49”)
The course starts to flatten out. I remember crossing mile 21 and saying “five miles to go.” I felt a bit overwhelmed. “Ok. Enough. Stop thinking. Just move.” I started moving to my two mantras – “Smooth and Efficient” (LT kept telling me this) and “Seal the Deal”. I knew I was a mile away from the last hill. It was not really a hill. It was more of a bump going over a bridge into Sacramento. I remember powering up it and thinking that I can even out my pace on the way down. I hit mile 22 and thought “Four more…Stop thinking like that.”
In every race there is a point where a decision needs made. I would like to say after hitting mile 22, I courageously said, “Now is the time to race and took off.” I was not really there. I was not hurting but I did make a conscious decision that likely saved my race. I told myself – “just run as many 6’50” miles as you can as deep into this race as possible.” At this moment, it seemed like a more manageable dragon to slay. My arm read 2:37’54” for 23. I remember thinking, “F**k. I can’t do that math. 2:38.” I hit the 23 mile mark in 2:36 something. “Right. Back to the task at hand – 6’50”. At this stage, I looked up and saw the street signs said something like 53th street. I knew I had to get to 8th but I knew there were turns. “Forget it. Just move.”
I looked at my watch. I needed a GU at 2:45. But something didn’t feel right. I’m at 2:40. “F**k it. Take a GU.” I took one down and told myself 20’ to go. The last real thought I can remember is around 23.5. I remember thinking “2.5 to go. You do this all the time everyday. Oh Shit. I can’t do this. Seal the Deal. What if I stop? Will I still have time? Would you f**kin run already? This hurts. This will pass and you’ll feel great the last mile.” There was way too much chatter in my head and my body was aching. I looked at my watch and the lap pace read 6’52. “Christ! Take this as deep into the race as possible.” I don’t remember anything from mile 24 except throwing my bottle of water away. I figured I’d just use the water stations left. I don’t remember registering my mile pace at 24 or 25. I was deep in the pain cave. The only thing that I feel is pain. I just remember coming up on 25 and my watch said 2:51-high. Then, I thought, “F**k. I can’t do math. Wait. I can run an 8’ mile and I’m safe. Keep going 6’50”. Go. Seal it.”
Mile 26 (7’03”)
I crossed 25 and LT jumped out into the street and was running behind me. He was saying “Good. Go. Run. You got this. Come on.” All I could think of is “Leave me alone.” But I could not say anything. I was pretty foggy. All of the sudden I looked up. The street sign said 18th. “No! I can’t do another 10 blocks”. The only saving grace is LT was gone. Before I knew it – out of my peripheral vision, I see LT running 7’ pace on the sidewalk yelling, “You got this. Quit looking at your watch”. I wanted to tell him to “STFU” but just kept shuffling ahead. If you would have asked if I was doing 7’ pace, I would have told you “No way.” It felt like someone had poured cement in my legs. I hear LT yell, “1200 to go.” And I thought, “Oh, that’s three laps. I can’t do that.” Then I remember looking left for the capitol building. “Where the f**k is that building?” Next I hear LT yell “600 to go.” I remember thinking “That’s doable.” I crossed the mile marker and made the left on 8th. Just a little bit to go.
.2
My breathing is so labored now and my body is actively rebelling. I am getting a cramp in my back and bent over towards my right. It made me take a ridiculously wide turn on the final left onto Capitol. I could hear Dad and Andrea. I think I knew I had sub-3 at this point but now it was a matter of 2:58 or 2:59. I told myself “Run through the line.” I raised my hands in victory and hit my watch. I had 2:58’52”.
I was not ecstatic. I was exhausted. I was hot. I felt ill. And bent over the barricade. I needed a couple minutes to collect myself. I passed by the med tent and laid down for a second on a cot. I hadn’t really processed that I did it. In fact, I still haven’t processed the accomplishment.
Conclusions
Everyone keeps telling me to be aware and remember it. I am trying to. I’ve been chasing this stupid arbitrary number for so long that feels hazy. There are dueling cases about what to tell people your marathon goals are. One school says, “Sandbag the goal and impress everyone.” The other says, “Lay it out there.” All my buddies knew what I was doing. It was not a secret. I was telling colleagues at work. I told strangers on the bus out to Folsom. In some weird way, I think it made me think I was obligated to seal the deal. It made it more difficult for me to bail.
I couldn’t wait to call Jasna and Eli. In many ways, she has been on this journey with me (sometimes against her own will). And Eli was just born when I rededicated to hard training. The 3:04 in 2011 was special but I just assumed I’d run like that forever. After following out of shape and gaining weight again, I sometimes thought that my day in the sun was over. And, yet, it was Eli coming into the world that not only inspired me to take another shot but also helped discipline my life to squeeze all the miles in to make amazing happen. Seeing them on FaceTime after the race was a great moment.
I first looked at the splits when we went to the Rubicon Brewery about an hour later. My first reaction was “That is a beautiful marathon”. My second reaction was, “Holy shit. That is my marathon.” Even now, it seems unbelievable when I review the numbers. I ran the first half in 1:29:09 and the second half in 1:29:41. A 32” positive split. Any hobby jogger wouldto be happy with that…
I still can’t get over how much it hurt. LT smiled at the brewery and said, “PRs are suppose to hurt. But you really wanted it.”
Needless to say, it was a perfect day – fueling, weather, training, strategy, and choices. I may never get another perfect day. But it’s cool. I was really present when it did happen.
Later that night before heading to bed, Jasna and I were texting. She was joking with me “At least I don’t have to hear about this sub-3 thing anymore.” I shot her back a text, “What do you think about 2:55?” She chose to not engage other than to say “LOL.”
I think I’m running ultras next year. I need a break from the marathon. I do plan on racing Boston in 2016. I’ve got scores to settle there. But the best part of 2:58 is feeling like whatever happens in the future, everything going to be ok. But, in the meantime, 2:58 is my new favorite number.
Fueling:
S-caps at 30, 1:30, 2:30
GUs at 1:15, 1:45, 2:15, 2:40
Splits:
1) 6’47”
2) 6’50”
3) 6’42”
4) 6’47”
5) 6’43”
6) 6’47”
7) 6’47”
8) 6’49”
9) 6’48”
10) 6’41” (1:07’55”)
11) 6’41”
12) 6’52”
13) 6’53”
14) 6’43”
15) 6’49”
16) 6’47”
17) 6’44”
18) 6’46”
19) 6’46”
20) 6’45”
21) 6’47”
22) 6’49”
23) 6’49”
24) 6’49”
25) 6’49”
26) 7’03”
.2 (or .34 on watch) – 2’17” or 6’45” pace
10K – 42’19”
13.1 – 1:29’09”
20m – 2:16’03”
Last 10K -42’47”
Overall Pace – 6’50”
Overall Place: 340/5,806
Male Place: 262/3,232
M35-39 Place: 37/454