Competitive Jerks Racing and Training - 2023 (Read 574 times)

 

 Cal back to 100 mile weeks and casual marathons in training.

Why everybody says it's a casual marathon?  I was almost dead yesterday and recovering the whole day today - legs are ok, but feel kind of weak...

2023 goals:

1. 5k PR ✅
2. HM PR ✅
3. Marathon PR ✅
4. 3000 miles ❌

Not bad! And still time left in the year for 10k, to go for the PR grand slam. 
Won’t hit the mileage due to injury issues earlier in the year.

Cal Very impressive week, and interesting structure. Do you normally do those back-to-back long runs? What's the idea behind it?

Cal does it because he can do it 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪 He's got freakish endurance, like Krash and Keen.

Steve - Awesome stuff! A PR is a PR!

Dave - Way to go! It looks like you got this marathon thingy figured out. I hope the high of this PR compensates for the lows when you had injured your back and had to sit out for a few weeks.

Also, I agree with others, mileage is a tool, what matter are the results!

me - Difficult week with 2 workouts, but I managed to complete it. The long run was extra difficult today with torrential rain and 25 miles per hour winds in some sections. Niggle under the right foot remains, but thankfully it kind of goes away as I warm up during the run.

Weekly for period: From: 09/11/2023 To 09/17/2023

Totals: Time: 08:58:03 - 🦅Imperial: 66.97 mi - Metric: 107.75 km

Dave - Great race…although I hope you go back to running legit marathons as I personally wouldn’t be able to call that a real PR, but of course I know that everyone has their own personal standards. 🤷‍♂️

Steve - Really impressive 5k and maybe you perform better when there’s no big build up or expectations. Looking forward to your half and think positive vibes about the race and don’t focus on the negatives! 👍

Dave doesn’t want to talk about downhill race PRs!  😂😂😂

Race Report: Cascade Express Marathon, 9/16/23

Summary:

3:14:03 for a PR with a 1 minute negative split.

Downhill course, so sue me.

Background:

I set my PR of 3:17:48 at Chicago last fall. I was looking to improve on that this spring in Eugene, maybe 3:15, but battled injuries early in the year and had to skip it. However shortly thereafter, things started to come together and I was able to get back to 50+ mpw by the end of May. It took me a while to settle on a fall race. I eventually decided to stay local an run one of the "tunnel races." There are a number of races that run point-to-point on the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, aka Iron Horse Trail, which is unpaved and mostly a steady, gentle (~2%) downhill. It includes a 2.5 mile pitch-black tunnel, which is flat. A lot of people go to these races to set PRs and BQs. Although people have different experiences, because it is gravelly plus can be hard on knees & quads. Also the races are not typically held during prime spring/fall weather - usually between June & Sept, so you can get some warm days. I've never raced one of these (although have run as pacer a couple times), so thought I'd give it a go.

Training:

Somewhat loosey-goosey based on the McMillan custom plan I've been using the last few races. I used it as a basic structure to pick workouts & LRs. Mileage was a bit lower than I've done in the past, mostly upper 50s to 60, but then upped it to a 4-week peak of 65-75 and hit 300 miles for August. I was feeling pretty good and was nailing my workouts.

Tuneup Half:

I decided to do one of the other races on this trail to give me a sneak preview, on 7/30. I thought I could run a 1:31-1:32, but ended up with a 1:29 for a huge PR. You'd worry about it being very warm that time of year, but it happened to be unseasonably cool that day. Plus the race started at 6:00 AM so didn't get a chance to warm up too much. So I was feeling pretty good about my chances for the marathon. Instead of 3:15, I started thinking 3:10-3:12. Contingent on avoiding warm weather and smoky air from wildfires - always a risk this time of year.

Weather:

It had been starting to cool down, which I was excited about. But Saturday (race day) was a predicted warmup - low mid-upper 50s, high mid-upper 70s, and sunny. The race started at 7:00, which still gives plenty of time to warm up. I do not historically do well in races that get into the 60s. My bigger frustration was that it was cooling way down on Sunday and the rest of the week. Bad timing, but what are ya gonna do.

Pre-race:

• Day-before carb report: Breakfast - oatmeal. Snacks - banana, fig bars. Lunch - blueberry pancakes. Dinner - gnocchi with red sauce plus about half a baguette. Lots of water.
• Sleep: kind of a struggle. I don't get too worried about races, but I get worried about not being able to fall asleep, which prevents me from falling asleep.  Plus I was stressing about the weather - wondering if I should have bailed and planned another race in a couple weeks. Ended up with about 5 hrs which is not bad for the night before a race.
• Race morning: Woke up at 4:00, had the usual pre-race breakfast of two pieces of toast with almond butter & jam, and 2 cups of coffee. Left around 4:45 for the 1+ hour drive. Bizarrely there had been some kind of accident that made them shut down the freeway and force you to exit. Not something I needed at that point. Fortunately Apple maps found the detour, which I never would have on my own, and didn't lose a ton of time. Drank a 20 oz bottle of water en route, arrived a bit before 6:00, and had a banana.
• A couple special gear considerations for this race: (1) you need a headlamp for the tunnel. I actually have a waist lamp I usually clip onto the buckle of my Noxgear vest for my daily runs, but instead clipped onto my gear belt. (2) during my half I had a bunch of rocks getting in my shoes from all the gravel. I made it through the 13.1, but did not want to have to deal with it for 26.2. So I bought a pair of shoe gaiters, which ended up working like a charm.
• Made the decision to not care about the weather. 
• Made a couple portapotty trips, and it was go time.

The Race:

The first 5+ miles is an out & back, then 2.5 miles through the tunnel, for an initial 8 flat miles before the downhill trail the rest of the way. Plan was to go out at a pace for 3:15 on the flat, then keep the effort on the downhill and see where it got me. Initially that was going to be the 3:10-3:12, but I decided on this day I'd be happy with a 3:15. I went out trying to get in a groove of 7:25-7:30 mpm. I headed into the tunnel and decided to not check my watch during that stretch (kept the backlight off), since it would be pretty inaccurate anyway - just try to keep the same effort. The small field (200) spread out pretty quickly, there was only one guy in front of me I could see. He seemed to be going pretty steady so I decided to just keep him in my sights. Came out of the tunnel and hit the 8 mile marker at 7.8 on my watch. When I hit 9, did some quick math to see I was still on pace for about 3:15. I was now on the downhill and it felt like the right effort, but my pace wasn't really picking up. Decided I wasn't going to worry about it, just keep steady and ideally maintain 7:30ish or under.

Half split - 1:37:27, nearly spot-on for 3:15 finish.

Comment on fuel/hydration - I was wondering if I should adjust that for the temperature. In the end, I did adjust slightly: (1) upped my Gu intake from 4 to 5, (2) alternated between water and Gatorade every 2 miles, more Gatorade than usual, (3) a few times I actually came to a complete stop to ensure I got a good volume of fluid in me, rather than on me. I figured I could handle the loss of a few seconds.

Mile 13-20: still keeping it steady, 7:25-7:30. Start to feel the fatigue at the point in the race when you've been out there a long time but know you still have a long way to go. Mentally tough but physically I was doing OK. At about 17 I pass the guy who had been "pacing me" the whole way since entering the tunnel, and then I can't see anyone else. I knew 7:30s would not get me my 3:15, but I was just going to run my race and not worry about that right now.

Comment on weather - it turned out to not be nearly the factor I expected. Maybe helped that I went in with a more conservative mindset because of it. But it wasn't humid, and despite a full sun day, the vast majority of the course was shaded. It was probably around 70 by the finish, but it didn't feel like it. I know what it feels like being overheated, dehydrated, and drenched with sweat in the late miles of a warm race, and I thankfully did not have that today.

Mile 21-finish: I was feeling pretty strong so with 10k to go I thought I could open it up a little bit. Splits for the next 4 miles were 7:15-7:18, and I started to feel better about a sub-3:15. Reeled in & passed a guy at 23, then another at 24. With 2 miles to go I'm still feeling strong and decide to pour it on. Mile 25 at 7:07, mile 26 at 6:54, then just flying to the finish. Crossed the mat, pumped my fist, and shouted "PR, BABY!!"

Time: 3:14:03

OA: 18/201

M50-59: 1/19

Post-race:

My legs were certainly sore but not too awful. Rode the bus back to the start where my car was, then getting up from that I felt the stiffness. Quads were OK but OMG my hamstrings. Which is usually where I feel it after a race. During the drive home, which felt like an eternity, my hammies were excruciatingly painful. Got home and my wife had made a big Dutch baby pancake, and blackberry compote from the bushes in our yard. That hit the spot. Vegged out the rest of the day, and was starting to feel better. The next morning the anticipated DOMS in my quads showed up, as well as still in the hammies. But overall - I've had much worse. I'll take a few days off as usual, ending a 112 day streak.

Next up:

Kind of nice to get my race done early in the season, so I can screw around the rest of the year. I have plans to pace 2 marathons, which is a lot of fun, and I'll try to squeeze in a 5k and/or 10k. My initial thought for next spring is to take another shot at Eugene.

Thanks for reading!

Mikkey - Yeah I think there's something in that but the key factor I'm finding is being better prepared than ever.  Next week is a good test because I've made it my main goal race of the year (after the marathons) and put a bit of pressure on to qualify for NY.  Hopefully I can avoid Covid on the plane (got my 7th booster today!  Or is it the 8th...).

Also, Cal is right - there's a lot of pressure on you for CIM.  You'll need to get your Moose Mug by 5 minutes to silence the doubts in your head 

Dave - Great stuff, enjoyed the report.  That pitch black tunnel, do you wear a headlamp?  That would throw me a bit mid race.  I'm one race away from getting the 5km, 10km, half and full PR set this year too although, as I said on the other thread, the marathon is niggling at me too much to have too big a celebration.

Flavio - I think you might end up extra well prepared with all the adversity you're putting yourself through in training.