Executive Summary

3:33:30. Missed goal of BQ (3:30), but 7 min PR.

Marathons are still dumb.

Background

My 6th marathon. Previous attempts at 3:30:

1. Detroit, fall '14 - fell and injured my knee 9 days before the race; shut it down the final week. Finished at 3:40.
2. Toledo, spring '15 - DNS due to unrelated knee injury.
3. Skagit Flats, fall '15 - respiratory infection led to severe asthma attack 4 days before the race; shut it down the last few days. Finished at 3:42.

In both races I ran, I felt my training was pretty strong. In both cases I started at goal pace, and finished with big positive splits. No way to tell whether the injury/illness was a big factor, or I just didn't have the fitness, or some of both.

Training

Previously I used a Hansons-based schedule, with their quality workouts, but a bunch of extra miles including added long runs, and fast finish LRs the last time. Ended up at about 60-70mpw on 6 days. This time I decided to try Pfitz; used the 18/70 plan, and pretty much stuck to it as written. Some comments (long boring if you DGAF about marathon training):

• It focused a bit more on longer runs than I have in the past. Clearly I've had issues with endurance, so I figured it'd have to help.
• Includes the famous MLRs - midweek runs of 12-15 miles, up to twice a week. They did not suck as much as I expected, even though I usually had to wake up at 4AM to get them in before work. Most of them ended up going pretty well, and at faster than expected pace. 
• Replaces Hansons "Strength Intervals" (1-3 mile intervals at GMP-10 sec, which I could never quite figure out the exact benefit), with more traditional tempo runs - continuous miles at a pace between HM & 15k. This peaked at 12 miles w/7 tempo, which was quite a workout.
• Easy days were really easy - often only 5 miles.
• Includes a handful of doubles, which I had never really done before, and also did not hate as much as I thought. Adds some logistical complications, but achieves the intended benefit of adding miles with minimum stress (6mi AM / 4mi PM)
• Only a handful of MP runs, peaking at the famous 18 w/14MP. I am used to an MP run every week, which I thought really helped develop the muscle memory of that pace. Although I guess if you are not in shape to maintain it for 26.2, it doesn't matter.
• Builds in races, which I liked, since I have been racing a lot more than I used to.

It looked pretty brutal on paper, but didn't kill me, and if anything I felt a bit less beat up than previous training cycles. I would do it again, if I ever decide to run one of these stupid things again.

The Race

Pretty much all of my training has been in stereotypical PNW weather - 40-50 degrees (for pre-dawn runs) and intermittent drizzle. Of course race day was going to be warm and sunny. Fortunately started at 7AM, when it was about 50; expected to warm up to 78, but probably only low-mid 60's by the time I finished. But in full sun in the later miles, 60's can get kind of warm. (Laugh away, hot weather runners.)

I planned to go out at 7:50-7:55 pace, for a 3:27: xx finish, to try to get enough cushion to get into Boston. I wasn't too sure I had it, but decided there was only one way to find out.

Miles 1-12: Pretty uneventful. Who ever remembers the early miles of a marathon anyway. That big hill at mile 4-5 didn't seem as bad as it looks, probably because it was at mile 4. But it did slow me a bit.

1 - 7:52

2 - 7:45

3 - 7:54

4 - 8:06

5 - 8:05

6 - 7:48

7 - 7:50

8 - 7:53

9 - 7:59

10 - 7:53

11 - 7:45

12 - 7:51

13 - 7:57

First half split - 1:42:41, 7:50 avg (actually the mat was at 13 for some reason, even though there was a sign for 13.1)

Miles 14-21: This is where things started to slow down a bit. As I usually do, I blame the hills. Miles 13-19 were through Point Defiance Park, which is really nice. And the road was mostly tree-covered, so it was cool & shady. However it was pretty much continuous hills. Most were not too bad, but it's at the point in the race where they become more difficult to recover from, and you can't make up for them on the downhills. Somewhere in there I realized my goal was out the window.

14 - 8:12

15 - 8:17

16 - 8:17

17 - 8:11

18 - 7:57

19 - 8:34

20 - 8:17

21 - 8:22

Mile 22-26.2: Hanging on. After coming out of Point Defiance Park around 19, I was feeling pretty fatigued. (I specifically recall my first f-bomb uttered when looking at the pace on my watch at 18.64.) The remainder is through the city, which was generally pretty flat, but in full sun. It got pretty ragged. I will say that compared to the last two marathons, the pace change was not as severe (hey, I kept it under 9:00!), and I felt a bit more in control. But that was all I had.

22 - 8:45

23 - 8:57

24 - 8:42

25 - 8:55

26 - 8:41

0.2 - 6:55 (ha)

Second half split - 1:50:49, 8:28 avg (8 min positive)

Finish time: 3:33:30, 8:09 avg

OA: 42/462

AG 4/31 - Awards were 5 deep, woo hoo! So I will apparently get something, whenever they decide to mail it to me.

Not the way you want to finish a race (although I don't know any other way), but I feel pretty good about the PR and AG placing. And while I'm definitely sore, I don't feel like I completely destroyed myself like I did the last two times.

Postmortem

Marathoning is hard, and BQing is even harder. This was a tough course I guess, but it's pretty difficult to get everything all lined up together - course, weather, physical condition, and any other extenuating circumstances. I'm not sure what it'll take for me to get there. Maybe just another cycle, or maybe not. I'd certainly like to get it, but it's not life or death. For now I'd like to take some time to focus on shorter distances for a while, then we'll see.

Congrats on the AG placing and PR. I think that course looks pretty brutal, to me hills and sun/heat are an awful combination. Putting that at the end of a marathon is just plain cruel. Yesterday you mentioned the positive split, my uneducated opinion is that a negative split on that course would potentially leave time on the first half. To knock several minutes off your PR says your fitness has improved.

That's a damn good race!  A PR is a great thing.

Congrats on the PB.  You took a calculated risk that didn't quite pan out. The course doesn't look too bad, and those late hills will give you a sense of what Boston is like once you do get your BQ.

 A PR is a great thing.

Says the guy whose initials are PR. 

Like I said on the team page, you did awesome Dave.  You seriously crushed that PR and I'm sure you have the BQ in you.  I bet if you rest up, enjoy the shorter distances for awhile, then get back to it in the fall or next spring you will get it.  congrats again! 

Nice job, Dave!  I think your time is very good considering that elevation.  That looks almost as brutal as the Pig I ran yesterday (no BQ or PR attempt for me, thankfully).  Chin up!  Your current training shows improvement as compared to prior ones.  You will get your BQ!

You put a lot of time and effort into this cycle as noted from the dailies.  Do not be discouraged.  I wanted to offer one thought although keep in mind you have more marathon experience than I.

When running up a hill we tend to try an keep even effort.  I get that and it is not that hard.  Shorter strides, controlled breathing, not pushing off the back foot as much, etc.  Our paces decrease accordingly.  Where I differ with many is on the downhills.  I was a pretty good HS runner and would make up huge times on the downhills.  In my last marathon this worked perfectly for me (see I am laying down my few credentials, lol).  At the crest of the hill we slow down, catch our breath and try to get back to normal rhythm.  To the opposite I open my stride up, thus covering more ground with the same cadence.  I try to bounce a little to let gravity pull me.  Thus I end up covering the downside faster, with fewer steps eventually my breathing slows down.  Common technique is to try and bring your breathing down immediately at the crest.

Would that have helped you?  Dunno.  I suggest that you might have picked up 1min or so by pushing it a bit harder on the downhills.  Its mental but I think it might help.

Gratz again, perhaps concentrate on some 5 & 10ks over the summer to help speed, and ramp up for a fall BQ.  Its in you.

Nice job, DaveP!  Right around top 10% in both AG and OA...nothing too shabby about that at all!  You are so close....BQ is right there, man.   One Pfitz cycle got you a 7 minute PR.  Another Pfitz cycle and you'll kill it.  Don't underestimate how much the late race hills and heat took out of you, particularly if you have not been running in any warmer weather lately.    

 

BQ your next marathon, then I'll be BQ mine, and the Boston 2018 FE will be the greatest ever.

All of this except for me BQing.