I just read my last post which was right before I ran the marathon way back in 2011. Man, did the marathon kick my a$$. I did everything you aren't supposed to do and yes, I hit the WALL. Everything I've heard and read about it was true. I knew it was coming well before it happened and I couldn't do anything about it. Long story short, I ran a 2:56 marathon, damaged a tendon in my foot and couldn't run for a month afterwards, rode bikes instead for fitness and bonked on a bike ride a week or so after the marathon and ended up in the ER. Whew......what a journey it's been.
Now that it's 2015, what better way to bring in the new year then pick another marathon that will kick my a$$ all over again! Yeah!! Woo hoo!!
OK. Let's get serious here. In the town nearby where I live there is going to be a marathon. It's the first marathon that is being run there in the last thirty years or so. The course is familiar and relatively flat. The elevation gain is small and the temperature in August should be perfect for a marathon. Man, do I really want to do this again.....
Go wild and enjoy running!!
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Sunday, October 9, 2011
One week til' the marathon!!!
I can't believe the marathon is less then one week away. I followed my own 12 week program including long runs of 15, 16, 17, 17, 20.5, 20, and 15 miles in length. Throw a few 10 milers in there and that was basically my training program. All of my long runs were run between a 6:48 and 7:05 pace. I figured that I would like to average a sub 6:30 pace for the marathon so I was hoping that running 30 seconds slower then race pace would be a good idea for the long runs.
My weekly mileage totals were between 30 and 45 miles per week. I know that doesn't seem like much, but I was able to run sub 36 min 10k's on 25 miles a week and a 1:19 half marathon on similar mileage. I hope that running at least 3-4 times a week and the increase of time running will help me to reach the finish before hitting the wall.
As far as nutrition during long runs I practiced eating a Clif Blok every 35 minutes of my training runs and carrying water/gatorade as well. I always try to drink shortly after eating a Blok. I'm not sure how tough it's going to be to eat and drink while running around a 6:20 pace. It could be difficult. I'm sure towards the end of the race I'm going to have to slow down a lot or stop to hydrate and eat. If done correctly, I won't have to stop at all.
My training partner is planning on going out a 6:15 pace for as long as possible. I'd like to keep him in sight and then try to reel him in late in the race. I also hope that if and when I pass him he will hang with me as long as he can and we can finish close together. He is a great runner and I think his finishing time is really going to surprise him.
Training for a marathon has been consuming. It as been a passion for me the last 8 weeks or so. I have dreamed about running it multiple times and now it is time to make that dream a reality. Here goes nothing.....
Go wild and enjoy running!!
My weekly mileage totals were between 30 and 45 miles per week. I know that doesn't seem like much, but I was able to run sub 36 min 10k's on 25 miles a week and a 1:19 half marathon on similar mileage. I hope that running at least 3-4 times a week and the increase of time running will help me to reach the finish before hitting the wall.
As far as nutrition during long runs I practiced eating a Clif Blok every 35 minutes of my training runs and carrying water/gatorade as well. I always try to drink shortly after eating a Blok. I'm not sure how tough it's going to be to eat and drink while running around a 6:20 pace. It could be difficult. I'm sure towards the end of the race I'm going to have to slow down a lot or stop to hydrate and eat. If done correctly, I won't have to stop at all.
My training partner is planning on going out a 6:15 pace for as long as possible. I'd like to keep him in sight and then try to reel him in late in the race. I also hope that if and when I pass him he will hang with me as long as he can and we can finish close together. He is a great runner and I think his finishing time is really going to surprise him.
Training for a marathon has been consuming. It as been a passion for me the last 8 weeks or so. I have dreamed about running it multiple times and now it is time to make that dream a reality. Here goes nothing.....
Go wild and enjoy running!!
Monday, September 19, 2011
The Longest Run Yet!!
Over the weekend I ran a 20+ miler!! My Garmin shows that I ran 20.48 miles in 2:21. I'm really happy that I was able to keep below a 7 minute pace for the run. It really puts into perspective that I can and will be able to pull off a full marathon. I kept my heartrate low (averaged 150 bpm for the entire run) and it didn't start to get up there until my last few miles. I really focused on my how my body felt throughout the run. I don't listen to music when I run and I feel that, especially on a long run it's important to be aware of and pay attention to when your body needs attention. I ate and drank every 35 minutes and consumed 10 oz of Gatorade, 10 oz of water and 5 Clif Bloks during the run. I didn't have any major stomach issues or side cramps either. It was a great run.
Right after the run I ate, but shortly thereafter was starving again and had to find food quick as my stomach was growling for more. This happened two more times that day in the afternoon. I definitely need to bring food in the car for after the marathon. Maybe I'll bring a couple PB&J sandwiches. My Garmin also displayed that I burned 2500 calories. No wonder I was so hungry!!!
Body wise, I was starting to get sore that night before bed and had to take a couple Ibruprofen's because my knees were sore. One of my calves was sore too, but nothing chronic to speak of. When I woke up the next day the knee pain was gone, but my overall fatigue level was high. I was tired and decided to take the day off from running. Now that it's 2 days later I'll try to get a slow 6-8 miler in depending on how much time I can dedicate to it.
Next up will be another long run of up to 20 miles in length before I drop back down and taper to the start of the marathon, which is on October the 16th. It's fast approaching!!
Right after the run I ate, but shortly thereafter was starving again and had to find food quick as my stomach was growling for more. This happened two more times that day in the afternoon. I definitely need to bring food in the car for after the marathon. Maybe I'll bring a couple PB&J sandwiches. My Garmin also displayed that I burned 2500 calories. No wonder I was so hungry!!!
Body wise, I was starting to get sore that night before bed and had to take a couple Ibruprofen's because my knees were sore. One of my calves was sore too, but nothing chronic to speak of. When I woke up the next day the knee pain was gone, but my overall fatigue level was high. I was tired and decided to take the day off from running. Now that it's 2 days later I'll try to get a slow 6-8 miler in depending on how much time I can dedicate to it.
Next up will be another long run of up to 20 miles in length before I drop back down and taper to the start of the marathon, which is on October the 16th. It's fast approaching!!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
The Training Continues
I got a 17 miler in with my friend Reed 2 days ago. I ended up averaging 6:57 pace throughout. I wanted to slow down some from my previous 16 miler which I averaged a 6:49 pace. After the 16 mile training run I was sore for a couple of days to the point where I had to stretch at night, especially my left leg/ankle/side of my calf area. This run felt much better. My feet still heated up a lot after mile 14, mostly because I need to wear different shoes and maybe socks too. My trusty Green Silence are awesome on any distance up to a halfathon, but aren't going to cut it as a long distance trainer.
Next up, an 18 miler this weekend. The rest of my training will consist of tempo runs anywhere from 5-8 miles in length and hill repeats, which I'll need to help build my strength for the last 13 miles of the marathon I am going to be doing. Roughly 5 of these miles are uphill, or at least that's what the topography looks like for the race. It also appears that at around mile 20 you turn around and head back down the hill(s) that you just came up towards the finish. As long as my legs aren't too thrashed it's going to feel really good turning around at 20.
I am going to be getting some new Brooks shoes delivered tomorrow, the Brooks Ghost 4's. A friend of mine runs in them and really likes them a lot. I hope they'll be a good shoe to wear on my long training runs and my feet are cozier in them on those higher miles!!
Go wild and enjoy running!!
Next up, an 18 miler this weekend. The rest of my training will consist of tempo runs anywhere from 5-8 miles in length and hill repeats, which I'll need to help build my strength for the last 13 miles of the marathon I am going to be doing. Roughly 5 of these miles are uphill, or at least that's what the topography looks like for the race. It also appears that at around mile 20 you turn around and head back down the hill(s) that you just came up towards the finish. As long as my legs aren't too thrashed it's going to feel really good turning around at 20.
I am going to be getting some new Brooks shoes delivered tomorrow, the Brooks Ghost 4's. A friend of mine runs in them and really likes them a lot. I hope they'll be a good shoe to wear on my long training runs and my feet are cozier in them on those higher miles!!
Go wild and enjoy running!!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Marathon!!!!
Well, I guess it's time to get a marathon done. I did a 16 mile training run a couple of days ago (averaged 6:49 pace throughout) and have been averaging 30+ miles per week for about 6 weeks or so now. I would like to get a couple more long runs in before I really truly make up my mind, but I'm about 80% sure that it's going to happen. Pretty crazy......I'm getting excited about it, but I'm also afraid I'll go out there and hit the wall hard(every runner's fear when running a marathon for the first time).
I spoke to my running buddy today and he told me that in his best marathon(he's done 30+ of them to date) he stopped on mile 20 and walked for 2-3 minutes. He still ended up running a 2:48. He emphasized getting it done as fast as you can, especially while you feel good because a wall is eminent. I've stopped on the last two runs that I've gone on and it really doesn't seem to affect my overall pace. Another marathon friend of mine said that I've got to slow down and get longer runs in, as that's the most important thing rather then speed. I can't stand running for 2 plus hours at a time, but if I have to I'll try and get a few of those in before race day. This is hopefully the first of many marathon post's to come in the next month or so before race day, October 16th, 2011.
Go wild and enjoy running!!
I spoke to my running buddy today and he told me that in his best marathon(he's done 30+ of them to date) he stopped on mile 20 and walked for 2-3 minutes. He still ended up running a 2:48. He emphasized getting it done as fast as you can, especially while you feel good because a wall is eminent. I've stopped on the last two runs that I've gone on and it really doesn't seem to affect my overall pace. Another marathon friend of mine said that I've got to slow down and get longer runs in, as that's the most important thing rather then speed. I can't stand running for 2 plus hours at a time, but if I have to I'll try and get a few of those in before race day. This is hopefully the first of many marathon post's to come in the next month or so before race day, October 16th, 2011.
Go wild and enjoy running!!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Busy October
Amber and I just finished another race over the weekend and we're halfway through the month of October. Time continues to fly by. This has been a very busy running month. The month began with the Soroptimist 10K and Amber and I ran 3 miles to the starting line from our house. Amber was awesome enough to let me run the race while she hung with the kids. After the 10K, we all ran back home another 3 miles. I ended up getting a 12 mile day in and Amber got 6. I think we both enjoyed the day and thankfully it was sunny.
On October the 17th, Amber ran the Humboldt Marathon-5K and I ran the Humboldt Half Marathon. We both ran these races last year and we both got a PR for the course. I bettered my time by 1 minute and Amber by 1 minute plus. She wasn't sure if she was going to run and she may have fractured her thumb the night before, but still gutted it out and ran. I was really proud of her, even though she had a side stitch the entire race she never stopped. I felt great most of the race and hit 10 miles in a time of 58 minutes and 10 seconds. I really felt like I would be able to PR, but hit the wall the last 3 miles. Oh well, I'm happy with how I did and can't wait until next year to do another one.
At the end of the month there are back to back runs on the 30th and 31st. I'm not sure if we'll run both, but it looks like the Ridge Trail run will be a for sure. The Monster Dash 5k also sounds like a lot of fun though. We'll see how everything goes and now it looks like I'm shifting gears from half marathon's to 5k's. It should be interesting!!!
Go wild and enjoy running!!
On October the 17th, Amber ran the Humboldt Marathon-5K and I ran the Humboldt Half Marathon. We both ran these races last year and we both got a PR for the course. I bettered my time by 1 minute and Amber by 1 minute plus. She wasn't sure if she was going to run and she may have fractured her thumb the night before, but still gutted it out and ran. I was really proud of her, even though she had a side stitch the entire race she never stopped. I felt great most of the race and hit 10 miles in a time of 58 minutes and 10 seconds. I really felt like I would be able to PR, but hit the wall the last 3 miles. Oh well, I'm happy with how I did and can't wait until next year to do another one.
At the end of the month there are back to back runs on the 30th and 31st. I'm not sure if we'll run both, but it looks like the Ridge Trail run will be a for sure. The Monster Dash 5k also sounds like a lot of fun though. We'll see how everything goes and now it looks like I'm shifting gears from half marathon's to 5k's. It should be interesting!!!
Go wild and enjoy running!!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Half Marathon!!!
Well, we survived. Amber and I are still sore, but on the mend. What a great half marathon it was. Amber and I both ran the Hammond Half Marathon on Saturday morning, August the 14th. We awoke to a misty morning. The fog hung low and there was absolutely no wind. It was the perfect morning for a half marathon.....
It was Amber's first half and my 3rd. Both of us were unsure of how it was going to all turn out. Amber had never done one before and has been nagged by sore knees on most of her long runs. Although I've done two other half marathons, I've never done one on such low mileage weeks. My highest mileage week was 2 weeks ago when I logged 38 miles total. Before my last half I had a high week of just over 50 miles. Amber had a borrowed GPS watch, her iPod ,and tons of spirit. I had my Brooks jersey, 2 pairs of socks on, and great competition in a young local that showed up to run his first half marathon.
Amber wanted to run it under 2 hours, but also didn't want to go out too fast so she paced herself well throughout. I wanted to get a PR, but wasn't sure if I had it in me. Amber ended up running a 1:59.23 and I ended up running a 1:16.51. We both achieved the goals we had set out to do. She broke 2 hours(without injury) and I got a sweet PR. Although I ended up getting 2nd place(by 30 seconds) I feel like I really accomplished something. Once the soreness wears off maybe I'll see if Amber would ever do another one. I think she's got it in her to be a great long distance runner. I guess only time will tell.
Go wild and enjoy running!!
It was Amber's first half and my 3rd. Both of us were unsure of how it was going to all turn out. Amber had never done one before and has been nagged by sore knees on most of her long runs. Although I've done two other half marathons, I've never done one on such low mileage weeks. My highest mileage week was 2 weeks ago when I logged 38 miles total. Before my last half I had a high week of just over 50 miles. Amber had a borrowed GPS watch, her iPod ,and tons of spirit. I had my Brooks jersey, 2 pairs of socks on, and great competition in a young local that showed up to run his first half marathon.
Amber wanted to run it under 2 hours, but also didn't want to go out too fast so she paced herself well throughout. I wanted to get a PR, but wasn't sure if I had it in me. Amber ended up running a 1:59.23 and I ended up running a 1:16.51. We both achieved the goals we had set out to do. She broke 2 hours(without injury) and I got a sweet PR. Although I ended up getting 2nd place(by 30 seconds) I feel like I really accomplished something. Once the soreness wears off maybe I'll see if Amber would ever do another one. I think she's got it in her to be a great long distance runner. I guess only time will tell.
Go wild and enjoy running!!
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