Hi, guys. Sorry I've been MIA but life and work have been too busy and with too much drama. I did my marathon last Sunday but had terrible reflux issues. This week has been about recovery and it has gone well. 10 miles tonight.
Hope everybody is doing well. Marathon # 13 is in two weeks.
Damaris
As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.
Fundraising Page
A fun 10 mile run today @ 9:45 pace. Probably my last LR before half marathon on 2/17.
2013 Goals:
5K: 25:00
10K: 52:00
Half: 2:00:00
I think you can only set a range of goals before the race, based on the type of course and your training and how hard you are prepared to push yourself. The weather and how you feel on that particular day will be the fine tuning that will determine what you can actually do, and this is where the "running by feel" that HappyFeat mentioned comes in to the equation.
While a pacer can be very helpful I don't usually rely on them, partly because they are often doing 10 and 1, and partly because I always want to be responsible for my own race.
I have found it helpful to do fast finish runs, say 15 miles with the last 5k in under 25 minutes. This ensures you know what is left in the tank so you don't start to go hard too soon. This is for the half, of course- I have never done a marathon.
PBs since age 60: 5k- 24:36, 10k - 47:17. Half Marathon- 1:42:41.
10 miles (unofficial) 1:16:44.
hog4life I looked at your workouts, and I think you should start with the 3:45 pace group, and I bet you find you have plenty left to finish strong while having a comfortable race. My workout times and mileage was super similar to yours when I got my 1:51. I know everyone is different and your race conditions/course will obviously factor into your race. That being said, don't sell yourself short. If you start @ a 9:10 I think you will be sorry, because your log shows you are more then capable of that pace for a race.
The marathon pacers usually bank time, at least all the ones I have ever talked to do. So...if you are starting with the 4 hour pacer, she might do 9's instead of 9:10's, same goes for the 3:45 pacer. Like everyone said, just make sure you talk to them and know what their plan is before you decide to stake your race on their watch.
vegefrog, ((hugs)), thank you for taking the time to look at my log. I enter everything manually rather than uploading my Garmin data, so sometimes I feel the paces and stuff others see can be a bit deceiving. I try to put a few notes here and there to help me if I need to go back to reference something. That is a huge confidence builder to hear you say that, I really appreciate it.
Just finished 12.2 miles in 1:55:00 for OA pace of 9:26. The first 6 were easy, 5.5 at 8:40ish, then .7 easy cool down. It will be interesting to review the splits once I get to the computer.
Mitch
Petco Run/Walk/Wag 5k
Hey guys! I continue to be surprised how little keyboard time this retired old man has! Sorry for not being a more regular poster.
I'm encouraged by how well last long run before the 2/17 Austin Half went. 10mi at half pb pace was an unintended surprise! It could be a PB for me if this continues. Am looking forward to a fun race after the ugly Decker Challenge in Dec and 3M Half DNS. Need a good one under my belt for sure!
Ya'll keep on keeping on!
bob e v 2014 goals: keep on running! Is there anything more than that?
Complete the last 3 races in the Austin Distance Challenge, Rogue 30k, 3M Half, Austin Full
Break the 1000 mi barrier!
History: blessed heart attack 3/15/2008; c25k july 2008 first 5k 10/26/2008 on 62nd birthday.
I agree with this. I also love fast finishes during LRs. They help you repeat that during the marathon.
I think you can only set a range of goals before the race, based on the type of course and your training and how hard you are prepared to push yourself. The weather and how you feel on that particular day will be the fine tuning that will determine what you can actually do, and this is where the "running by feel" that HappyFeat mentioned comes in to the equation. While a pacer can be very helpful I don't usually rely on them, partly because they are often doing 10 and 1, and partly because I always want to be responsible for my own race. I have found it helpful to do fast finish runs, say 15 miles with the last 5k in under 25 minutes. This ensures you know what is left in the tank so you don't start to go hard too soon. This is for the half, of course- I have never done a marathon.
Good run yesterday, 1km warm up then 10 miles tempo. Not much short of race effort.
Slow start for me this month- wimped out today, partly because of the cold weather, partly because I was fascinated by this story of the discovery of the skeleton of Richard III in my town of birth, Leicester, England.
He was the last English king killed in battle (Battle of Bosworth, 1485) and the last of the Plantagenet kings (who gave way to the Tudors).
I also learned that he did not lock the princes in the Tower of London as I was taught in school, but that was Tudor propaganda aimed at blackening his reputation, and Shakespeare may have been encouraged to spread this misinformation.
Great story!
Bob- Hoping that you have a great race coming up!
Simon- Sounds like a fantastic run!
Well I really pushed myself on my run tonight. The plan called for 5x3:00 at V02Max on a "moderately steep uphill." I had done 5x2:30 on a flat treadmill, so how much harder could it be, right? I had planned for closer to my 3K pace at a 4% incline, but ended up at my 5K pace, or even a tad slower, at 3%, and that was all I had in me.
But on the other hand I felt like I challenged myself and really found my limits, cardio-wise and mentally, tonight. And no trouble running the recoveries at a properly slow pace! After I still had enough left to jog out the full 6.5 miles that I had planned. Clearly I need some more practice on hills!
Return To Racing
I need some good weather for a long run.
Got my first 12 miler done today! So now I at least feel like I'm likely to finish my HM . So from here on out it's just about making the experience more enjoyable, right? Slower pace tonight, 9:53, definitely feeling my workout yesterday, but still within my LR pace range. The bigger issue was getting soaking wet during the first three miles and then chilled when the wind came up for the last few! Once the gloves are wet it's pretty much all over.
DR: I have to agree on fast finish to long run. I'm not the fastest person around but really do love coming to the end of a long run and being on ones feet for 90-180 minutes and still being able to pick it up a notch. 2012 was a rough year for me that didn't have many like that, but 2013 seems to be off to a better start even with a DNS for the 3M half marathon. will know in less than two weeks...
Simon: nice job on the tempo run! Don't blame ya for the cold weather wimping out. If I still lived in Nashua, NH I might not be running outdoors during the winter months! But would be downhill skiing - provided I avoided breaking a leg reaching current age...LOL
Jerry: Hope you get some better weather. I'm praying that our mornings stay cooler, especially on 2/17. Gives me better chance at a PB.
Zel: Thanks for the encouragement. Seeing your VO2 Max plan exhausts me - makes me glad I am not seriously trying to improve my speed! Nice job on the recovery and awesome 12miler! So true about making the experience more enjoyable. You know you can cover the distance and finish a half. So now its focus on enjoying the overall experience and just getter done! These days I'm at the "just gotta have fun" stage anyway! LOL
I had a 6 mile tempo run scheduled for today, but I decided to change things around. I felt like I needed one of those let you mind wander, therapeutic-type runs, so that's what I did. Ran an easy 7.4 miles in the dark, not paying attention to any sort of pace, just went with the flow and cleared my mind. It was nice and just what I needed! I'll probably just do the tempo tomorrow.
Ugh, hoping for good news for you.
I have been running this week, almost got run over by a bus crossing to work (today) and almost got an asthma attack today. Meh. I am still doing my mileage (except 3 miles I dropped today because of the asthma) and I'm alive (the near death experience was VERY close, ouch), so there is that.
How's everybody's week going?
DR: I have to agree on fast finish to long run. I'm not the fastest person around but really do love coming to the end of a long run and being on ones feet for 90-180 minutes and still being able to pick it up a notch. 2012 was a rough year for me that didn't have many like that, but 2013 seems to be off to a better start even with a DNS for the 3M half marathon. will know in less than two weeks... Simon: nice job on the tempo run! Don't blame ya for the cold weather wimping out. If I still lived in Nashua, NH I might not be running outdoors during the winter months! But would be downhill skiing - provided I avoided breaking a leg reaching current age...LOL Jerry: Hope you get some better weather. I'm praying that our mornings stay cooler, especially on 2/17. Gives me better chance at a PB. Zel: Thanks for the encouragement. Seeing your VO2 Max plan exhausts me - makes me glad I am not seriously trying to improve my speed! Nice job on the recovery and awesome 12miler! So true about making the experience more enjoyable. You know you can cover the distance and finish a half. So now its focus on enjoying the overall experience and just getter done! These days I'm at the "just gotta have fun" stage anyway! LOL
45 minutes on the TM this morning. Alternated level and hill intervals. Increased speed to 8:00/10:00mm for 3-5 minutes. Think I can go a little faster next time. 6 miles on the track yesterday, but its been about 10 days since last LR. Maybe we'll get a thaw this week and we can get back on the bike path. so we can get to the 11 mile mark. Still looking good for our HM exactly 2 months from today !!!!