2017 Sub 3 Marathons...and beyond! (Read 403 times)

Nice 3x2 JTReeves .. and solid week!

Thanks Mikkey .. I'll put the dates on my calendar and apply through lottery.

JMac - no worries. We all look forward to your return. Maybe all it'll take is a week off. I know that sounds like a lot but in the big picture it isn't.

Hey Brad - Good luck with Houston. Isn't that race soon?  Seems like I range from 2500-3100 when I'm not injured. I incorporate quite a bit of speedwork outside (and some inside) the marathon cycle because there are more races than just marathons!

 

cinnamon - I bailed on the Dexa scan. Figured I was being a worry wart. Americans are very restricted in London. Damn Yankees are too fast.

 

Jmac  - Hope that foot is feeling better.  Hey - it is tough to get on the forums and post when things aren't going well. I have the same problem. It is tough to listen to everyone crushing it when you can't run. It takes a certain amount of motivation to get on the forums and post and if I'm injured it just isn't on the top of my list. I tend to go in stalker mode. Anyway - don't beat yourself up over it.

 

weatherboy - Strong week. 15 miles @ mp!  Are you in the weather business?

 

swim - It is so good to see you back out running and off the bike. I heard some things about your cycling form and they are not pretty.

 

jtreeves - Solid mileage week. Epic LR in the cold. Here is to a New Year.

 

Weekly Summary
Monday, Dec 18, 2017 thru Sunday, Dec 24, 2017

Day	Miles	Pace	Description	HR	Egain	Link
Tue	6.0	7:59	6 miles on the treadmill - still in one piece	0	0	strava
Wed	6.0	7:44	6 mile easy run	131	131	strava
Thu	6.0	7:39	6 mile easy run	133	216	strava
Sat	7.4	9:30	7.5 mile easy run mostly with the dw	115	91	strava
Sun	10.1	7:14	10 mile MLR	135	216	strava

 

 

Things continue to move in the right direction. The little scare with some discomfort around the heel turned out to be nothing. Sunday's MLR was the first double digit run since 8/20 - when I cracked my heel. Good times.

My cycling Form?  As in its amazing haha

JMac - bummer about the injury.  Hope you get it sorted.

I've been a bit lazy posting here too of late.  Mileage has dropped back over the last couple weeks into the 50-60km/week territory with a niggly ITB issue.  A few times I think I've got it sorted then it pops straight back.

So how did everyone do with 2017 running goals? And what are the goals for 2018? I'll go.

2017 Goals: No injuries. Check. 3k miles. Nope. I should get 2750 miles if I can do 10 tomorrow. PR 5k. Check. PR FM. Check. Sub 2:45. Nope. Sub 17 5k and sub 2:50 FM in the same year. Check, 3rd year straight!

2018 Goals: I'll go for 3k miles again and no injuries. Sub 2:45 to get a Berlin 2019 Qualifier. PR the 5k. Continue having fun trash talking, battling, challenging, and betting a bunch of great athletes in this tough sport including some of you on this thread.

Happy 2018!!

Before I forget - Happy New Year everyone.  Congrats to everyone on all your achievements.

JMAC - hoping the injury resolves itself very soon!

For me 2017 was the biggest and most consistent mileage I've put together.  Technically speaking I PR'd (sub 80 HM last winter and a low 17 5K in late October) in just about every distance I raced at even though as we discussed Boston was a tough day for a number of us.  Hoping my latest cycle concludes with something faster (well under 3) in another 4 weeks.

Here is my last training week of 2017.  Best workout was on Wednesday where I surprised myself with some peppy 2 mile repeats and ran the last 2 miles probably harder than I should have, but they felt pretty good at the time.  Finished it off with a nice hard LR (cold and windy) this morning that took quite a bit out of me with my recent mileage and workouts.  Hit over 90 miles for the week and will be shaving about 10 miles from my schedule next week as I start to round the corner into a taper.  It appears Daniels (and others) actually have your biggest volume at 4-6 weeks from race day.  Taper is gradual though.  Still some strong workouts coming, but the Q runs are getting quite a bit shorter it appears.  Think it will be best for no more 20+ until race day as I think I had 5 in December alone.

Weekly Summary
Monday, Dec 25, 2017 thru Sunday, Dec 31, 2017

Weather awesome stuff man

strugglr.  Really good year buddy

2017 goals:  I PR d in the half last October, thought I could run 2:43 in Boston in April  not even close, I thought I was in 2:42-2:43 shape for Richmond and DNS d.  I survived a horrific car accident which is a plus.  A very difficult year personally and psychologically.  Happy to be back running at this point.  As for 2018 goals we will see.  Nothing set in stone at this point.

Happy New Year!

Jmac - +1 what cinnamon said.  I lost 2017 in part to being impatient.

cinnamon - Congrats on the BAA win!  Holy cow I missed that.

mark - Hope the IT issue settles down

weatherboy - Awesome week. You are really rolling. Sub 3? lol That would be complete sandbag job. Better be a lot faster than that!

strugglr - Congrats on a great year. That 2:45 is right around the corner.

swim - A tough year to say the least. You'll be stronger for it in 2018.

JT - That is a lot of treadmill running. You have laid a great foundation for 2018.

2017 - Goal - get healthy. After about 14 months I think I can check that one off. (fingers crossed).

2018 - Nothing set in stone. Would like to run St Jude in the fall. We'll see.

Weekly Summary
Monday, Dec 25, 2017 thru Sunday, Dec 31, 2017

I was hoping to get to 40 mpw by the end of the year. Running felt a lot better/smoother this week. My calves have finally started to come around. Once I get to 50 mpw I might start making some plans. Looking forward to 2018!

I'm ages behind at this point...sorry to end the thread year slacking off!  But really, who's going to start the new one?

Weatherboy - your cycle has been incredible.  I really hope the weather works out for you.  But if it doesn't, please, please, please target a race that has more consistently good weather next time!!!

JTReeves - you're cycle is coming along great too.  I hope you get some good races in before your full, but I guess winter kind of prevents that?

Swim - I'm really happy that you're back at it.

JMac - I've had similar pains in my foot (on and off) for about a year, and I know exactly what you mean about wanting to stick a needle in it to try to relieve some of the tightness.  From my limited experience with acupuncture, it doesn't work that way, however.  Acupuncture treats energy channels in your body, and not directly the affected area.  So the needle that fixes your foot could be placed in your hand.  Dry needling, on the other hand, does take a needle directly to the affected area.  Dry needling works really well when my hamstring knot gets too out of control.  I wonder if there's a podiatrist that does dry needling?

Brad - Welcome!  I'm really hoping we get good weather for Houston (I'm doing the half).  It's a good course and it'll give you a good chance to go sub3, even though the back-to-back is a tough task.  Good luck!

tnweather - Great to hear you're back at it too!  Fitting 40 in to week seems like a sign that you're well on the other side of your injuries.  I hope you stay there.

OnceaDCV - You going to get back to the big mileage this year?  Any luck getting a Boston bib?

Mikkey - Why haven't I seen a Strava notice letting me know you're following me yet?

Strugglr - I'd call that a successful year! Have you topped 3k before? I think I'll go for 2,600 this year (my 2015 total) and also I'd like to have a minimum of 200 per month.

As for my year, I had the lowest mileage in the 3 years that I have taken running seriously (~2,270), but I managed to PR at the marathon.  I thought I'd get some PR's in some shorter races, but that just didn't happen.  My current theory is that I need to get back to the weights (which I haven't really done since June) and work on core and leg strength.  I feel like aerobically I'm in better shape than I have ever been, but between skipping the weights and all my niggles, my legs just don't have the ability to push too hard.

I've had a blast the past 2 weeks with the family, but my running has been crap.  I got a decent 3x2mi workout a couple of weeks ago (11:58; 11:59; 12:11), but then totally crapped out on a 4x1.5 workout this past week, skipping the last two intervals because things went so poorly early.  I've kind of let slip any real goal of PRing in the half (pr is 1:19:20), but will still give it my all.  After that I'll have a couple of down weeks, and then try to really go for it so that I can put up something decent on a nice and sunny 75F April Monday in Boston.