Running with the sub-3s -- ut oh (Read 2050 times)

stadjak


Interval Junkie --Nobby

    On Wednesday, I ran the 1-2-1 workout (1mi @5K+, 2mi@10mi-10k, 1mi@5K or faster with 600m and 800 jog between).  Nobody from the sub3s had a compatible workout (either already completed their marathon or had it on the following Saturday).  But the 3-bridges Marathon folks were running this workout.  I partnered with them, and they talked about pacing.  First mile at 6:40.  I just joined the group and Coach gave me this cock-eyed look.  "You're going to run with them?"  I shrugged, not seeing anyone else around.  Then he pulled the arm of a kid named Brian and told me, "You run with him."  Okay, sounds good.

     

    On the first turn I started pulling away.  It was a bit odd.  I think I ran with this guy over the Summer in a similar 5K group.  It was also odd being in front.

     

    6:02 first 1mi.  6:05 was planned, so pretty darn close for not having any pacers.

    6:12 pace for the 2mi.  About 2secs slow.  Not bad.  Felt good.

     

    Then came the last mile.  The sub3 guys were hovering around Coach talking about their race day victories, looking over his shoulder at one of the 8 stopwatches ("Big Orange!") recording times.  I hit the first 400m at about 87.  Next at 85.  I forget the 3rd.  But as soon as I passed Coach for the 3rd time and leaned into the turn, I just decided to pick it up.  It might have been the sub3s shivering in the cold, rooting me on.

     

    It felt perfect.  That running stride where you're invincible, and fleet.  I was working, but not hammering.  Or rather, I wasn't in race-effort, just very satisfying hard work. 79sec final lap. 5:41 for the mile.  Now, the interesting thing to me here is that a sub-6mi mile was a goal for the year I hit in Feb.  But then I all-out sprinted for it and barely made it.  This time I just did it for fun.

     

    Saturday, the sub3s and I drove down to Richmond and, with bikes, cheered on 2 people in our group.  One was the gazelle, Barry.  He looked nervous the entire race -- carrying 3 bottles of water in his hands.  He just wanted to finish, and did at 3:04.45, just qualifying for Boston.  Jim, the 45yo steam-engine, was indomitable.  He took the masters' crown for the race with 2:48.  It was a hot day (65F) and the sun was bright.  But it was great to see both hit their marks.

     

    On Wednesday, I felt great.  And before NYCM I didn't feel nervous, only excited.  Felt I was prepared and ready for my attempt.  It was interesting to me because of its dissimilarity to usual Taper-psychosis.   But now that's back in full.  I'm worried there's been too much time off.  Taper was too long.  Past my peak.  More than anything, I think I'm psychologically past the peak; having the rest of the team already finished and in celebration/kick-back mode has taken the edge off.  I need the edge back.

     

    Sleep has been crap recently (someone playing kickball with a basketball outside my house at 1am last night).  Anyway, I'm trying to fix the psych thing.  Hoping the Wednesday workout will harden my mental fortitude again.

    2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

    stadjak


    Interval Junkie --Nobby

      tl;dr: So, this is how the story ends: 3:08.45 and a 'Cheeze' Steak.

       

      Showed up in Philly to join EGH3, LTrain, Mrs. Train (lovely when she introduces herself this way) and a few of Train's Mainer running club members at a great little Italian place.  Rumors of Walt and Nader abound, but neither show when I'm there.  It was a day of pasta, clifshot-cubes and sipping on gatorade.  And a bit of panic: I forgot my shorts.

       

      Of course, shorts would be the easiest thing to replace, but apparently people don't wear shorts when running in the Philly winter.  Went to two small running stores and City Sports, but eventually found a suitable pair.

       

      Woke and felt good.  Yogurt, granola, fruit, and half a cup of tea.  Then I dawned my homeless-starter-kit before going out the door.

       

      I'd upgraded Corrals being optimistic that I'd finish on the right side of the 3:10/3:10.1 division.  The goal was 3:10 for a BQ.  But LTrain spilled the beans the night before that because I'm on the age bubble (40 in May), I get a 5minute bonus.  I wanted to stick my fingers in ears and yell "La la la, can't hear you!" It was something I'd rather have found out after the run -- especially if I didn't make it.

       

      The night before I made a pace-band taking into account the "hills" on the course.  Let's be clear, Philly is not "flat".  But it doesn't really have any "hills" either.  If you train in Florida, you'll be pissed when you run this thing.  But as I train in Charlottesville, which is nothing but hills, there was nothing to fret about.  Still, pace adjusted.  The plan was to start off very conservatively (recommended commanded by Coach).

       

      1: 7:40

      2: 7:30

      3: 7:20

      4: 7:10

      5: 7:05

      6: 7:05

      7: 7:20

      8: 7:00

      9: 7:20

      10: 7:00

      11-26: 7:10

      Gu at 6.5, 12.5 and 18

       

      I stuck to the plan.

       

      But I quickly found out that my Garmin was shorting me on every mile.  So, by mile 9 I was 30seconds behind the pace-band.  The pace-band was an incredible confidence builder on the course.  I always knew exactly where I stood, even when the garmin lost signal or outright lied to me. Next time, I'll set my garmin to show Lap-Pace, Distance-for-Lap, and Timer.  Then I'll hit the split button every mile.  That will give me approximate pace, but allow me to match the clock w/o needed per-mile clocks (which were wonderful to see).

       

      I started to pick it up and was still feeling great.  I think I hit 13 on pace.

       

      Around 14 or 15 I see a Swamper singlet up ahead.  It's Walt (whom I've never met).  He's holding steady at 7:07pace and it looking strong.  Tells me that Nader is somewhere behind him.  I'm on the look-out (though I've never met him).  I'm pretty sure I was messing up his fung-shui.  So either I sped up, or he dropped behind me.  Over the next few miles, and to catch up to Walt, I was doing 6:55 on the garmin, so probably 7:02.  A bit hot, but felt fine.

       

      After the bridge, around mile 16-17, I really starter to feel it.  Before that the running was easy.  Now, it was work.  There's a long-slow incline over the next few miles until around 20 and I started to get a bit concerned.  This part of the run was pretty interesting for me.  At 21 I hit the wall last marathon.  I never hit the wall in this run.  Instead, I started to slow from 7:10 to 7:25 around mile 23 and was just able to hold that.  My left ham was twinging and then my calf gave a few warning spasms.  So, I was a bit afraid to try to speed up to 7:10 again -- not really sure I had it anyway.  I was about 20-seconds to a minute ahead of my pace-band before I started slowing down.

       

      I still find it a completely foreign idea that anyone would hit mile 22 and feel so good they "drop the hammer".  At mile 25 I was still wondering if I would finish.  After hitting mile 25 I had the idea to pick it up, but kept worrying about cramping and destroying what I had.  So, my last mile was about 7:10.  Then I just sprinted once I hit 26.

       

      3:08.45

       

      I still got pretty dumb after the run.  Simple tasks were a problem, but not as bad as the first marathon.  It hurt (muscles, not being dumb -- which is surprisingly painless), but again, not as much as the first marathon where I was completely out of commission for the next 4hrs.  I took advantage of the free massage and I think that helped a lot.  Then it was of to me the RAers at TGIF where we had the most incompetent waitress you can imagine.  Nader was there, LTrain, Doug and EGH3.  Later, EGH3 and I dropped thought of ever getting an order out of the waitress and taxied across town to Jim's Steaks where we waited in line for 55minutes to get some incredible Cheeze Steakes with "real" Cheeze Whiz.  I think we still got our food before LTrain.

       

      I was feeling pretty great about my time until, Jimbo, a guy 10 years older than me, told me he beat me by 30seconds.  Oh, sure, I thought, what's this your 18th marathon?  No, his 3rd.  Oh, well.  Actually, I still feel pretty great about my time.  Called Coach right when I picked up my bag and left him a choked up message on his machine, thanking him for my training and planning a great race for me.

       

      Even if I hadn't reached my race-goal, the training itself was worth all the sweat.  I had such a great time working damn hard.

       

      I've never truly felt grateful for anything in my except my parents' support -- but they're your parents.  Well, the Sub-3 guys and Coach have introduced me to overwhelming of gratefulness in the way annoying people gush about their Agent at the Oscars.

      2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

      JML


        Congrats!  Great result!

        Rebuilding my aerobic base....racing next year.....nothing to see here....move along now.

          Congratulations, sounds like a great race!

          Julia1971


            Took you long enough to post a race report...  Wink  Congratulations!  You worked hard for it and should be so proud.

            kcam


              Congratulations! 

                Way to go stadjak! Sounds like you ran a great race.

                 

                I love that this thread has a happy ending. It has been one of my favorites on RA.

                 

                --

                Nashville, TN

                 

                Wing


                Joggaholic

                  Congrats stadjak! Your report is a great read!

                    I love your writings, this thread and others.

                     

                    You are amazing to make such a great progress from your first to the second.

                     

                    I wish I had your dedication and enthusiasm.

                    5k - 20:56 (09/12), 7k - 28:40 (11/12), 10k trial - 43:08  (03/13), 42:05 (05/13), FM - 3:09:28 (05/13), HM - 1:28:20 (05/14), Failed 10K trial - 6:10/mi for 4mi (08/14), FM - 3:03 (09/14)


                    fake it till you make it

                      Congrats!  Stellar training, racing, and writing. 

                      runnershawn


                        Congratulations, great writeup. Thanks for sharing

                          EXCELLENT!! Way to go, man. 

                          Happy for you and yes - a great write-up!!

                            Then it was of to me the RAers at TGIF where we had the most incompetent waitress you can imagine.  Nader was there, LTrain, Doug and EGH3.  Later, EGH3 and I dropped thought of ever getting an order out of the waitress and taxied across town to Jim's Steaks where we waited in line for 55minutes to get some incredible Cheeze Steakes with "real" Cheeze Whiz.  I think we still got our food before LTrain.

                            Congrats on an amazing and well-deserved result. 

                             

                            My only recollection of TGIF was being parched and a little delirious  using all my faculties to make sure I didn't say any bad words in front of the two kids who were 6 feet from me.  

                             

                            The best part was L Train muttering random comments in an effort to distance himself from waitress-gate.  Umm, we should just go...We probably need three waitresses...You guys wanna go?...This is the worst service ever...I'm ready to go...You guys wanna go?

                            "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

                              Great job.  Great race report too.  It was fun following this thread for the past couple months.

                              Life Goals:

                              #1: Do what I can do

                              #2: Enjoy life

                               

                               

                              stadjak


                              Interval Junkie --Nobby

                                The best part was L Train muttering random comments in an effort to distance himself from waitress-gate.  Umm, we should just go...We probably need three waitresses...You guys wanna go?...This is the worst service ever...I'm ready to go...You guys wanna go?

                                 

                                LTrain, doing his Sam Beckett impression.

                                 

                                I'm pretty sure the waitress was squeezing water from rocks to fill your cup.  That could be the only explanation.

                                2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do