Okay this post is week late but I've been busy...
Last weekend Anne and I toed the line in front of the Wash DC Armory for the National Marathon. We would tour parts of DC I had never been to and enjoy beautiful clear skies and little wind all morning with 34-45 deg temps. The result? A whopping 9 minute PR for Anne and nearly equal 1/2 splits. SUPER!
We began a marathon build up in January switching Anne from 3 days a week of running to 4 and jumped right in with a 13 miler January 1st. Most of last falls Richmond marathon base was still in her legs so we built quickly with long runs coming every 2 weeks. Runs of 15, 18, 20 , 20, and 22 followed with each consisting of a 30sec walk break at each mile marker with an average pace per mile around 10:00. For race day after reading Galloway's suggestion of a 60 sec walk break I decided to compromise and do 45 second breaks on race day. No pre -determined mile pace was set up and we just ran home she felt. This resulted in us running in the 9:30's with the 45s walk break included. The miles ticked by and her freshness remained. She hit a gel at miles 5, 9, 13, 17, and 20 which allowed her to keep from bonking out. Reaching the half around 2:05 gave me confidence that the sub 4:21 and 4:15 goals were a definite possibility and maybe even 4:10. With a couple pit stops and some tough hill miles in the 2nd half we ended up running a slightly positive split but managed to run the last 10k in under 60min and the last 2 miles at sub 9:25 pace.
Officially we finished strong in 4:12:04 which was fast enough to make my own legs hurt.
The house projects have really geared up and my "one focus at a time-obsessive personality" let those take priority over my running. So I only logged 49 miles last week and a mere 35 this week. :-(
For some reason I always fall in to a 3-4 run days a week pattern and end up averaging like 12 miles per run. Not sure why. I did manage a 4 mile AM ---busy work day--- then 16 miler PM run home on Friday which really wiped me out.
Now with March nearly over it is time to get in shape! Higher mileage, more frequent runs, hill work, and some speedier days to come I swear! Next race Bull Run 50 April 18th.
at least the house is looking better :-)
Showing posts with label Marathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marathon. Show all posts
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Thursday, May 1, 2008
I'm Back!
Okay a long blogging break, but I just didn't feel like it. and really was not running much. I actually took a zero WEEK following BRR 50. Didn't feel like running (mentally- physically I was 100% two days later) so I didn't run. I have spent many many hours "cross training" Meaning I have been clearing a yard via cutting saplings & dead trees with a hand saw, raking, shoveling, leveling ground, digging up roots and rocks, dragging piles dirt/pine needles/wet leaves/mulch around on a tarp, weeding, cutting down vines, pulling up root systems, ect ect ect. ugh pretty tiring total boy work considering I never do anything half-assed, or in a non-obsessive way. Yard looks great and is now twice the size.
Anyway I did manage to run the Rivana Trail in Charlottesville yesterday solo without making any wrong turns. It was good run and was the first good weather day in a long while. It took 3:31 and is an unknown distance. The garmin had it at 17.5 on the watch, but it was tracking low as a measured mile on blacktop read on the watch as 0.9 miles. The motionbased upload put it at 18.7. previous uploads have had it as high as 22 miles! who knows...it was a solid run though.
April ended up being the smallest monthly total mileage in a long while for me.
Jan- 208- 17 runs
Feb- 227.5- 14 runs
March-201- 17 runs
April- 169.5- 16 runs
That 806 miles for the year to date, meaning I am averaging an impressive 12.6miles per run.
For reference in 2001 I put in 2827 miles of running averaging 12.2 miles per run. Doubtful I will keep up this pace though as my intent for the next few months is to run shorter, faster, and more frequently in an attempt to get into Pr marathon shape. I want to run a quick road marathon in September.
I am looking at a few events on the eastern coast during that month and might hit Rochester, NY, Erie, Pa, or Akron, Oh for the potential race. I want to get it in before Oct 3rd's Grindstone 100 miler. I have already paid to enter this new and sure to be epic race. I don't have high expectations there, but want to be able to go and take part with the goal of a finish even if my legs are not specifically training for a trail mountain race.
I fly out to Chicago in 48hours and look forward to completing my training in prosthetics at Northwestern Univ and the Rehab Institute of Chicago. I aim to run a lot of doubles and road runs in the 5-7 mile range while there. I will also be taking part in the Ice Age 50 miler in 9 days as my brother Tim will be flying into town to go run the great Ice age races with me. The two of us have run marathons or ultras together in TX, NM, NC, and VA since he paced me the last 20 miles of the 2002 Western states 100. amazing how time has flown by!
Going forth I hope to give weekly updates on how my stay in Chicago is going and how my plan for a PR marathon is developing.
Anyway I did manage to run the Rivana Trail in Charlottesville yesterday solo without making any wrong turns. It was good run and was the first good weather day in a long while. It took 3:31 and is an unknown distance. The garmin had it at 17.5 on the watch, but it was tracking low as a measured mile on blacktop read on the watch as 0.9 miles. The motionbased upload put it at 18.7. previous uploads have had it as high as 22 miles! who knows...it was a solid run though.
April ended up being the smallest monthly total mileage in a long while for me.
Jan- 208- 17 runs
Feb- 227.5- 14 runs
March-201- 17 runs
April- 169.5- 16 runs
That 806 miles for the year to date, meaning I am averaging an impressive 12.6miles per run.
For reference in 2001 I put in 2827 miles of running averaging 12.2 miles per run. Doubtful I will keep up this pace though as my intent for the next few months is to run shorter, faster, and more frequently in an attempt to get into Pr marathon shape. I want to run a quick road marathon in September.
I am looking at a few events on the eastern coast during that month and might hit Rochester, NY, Erie, Pa, or Akron, Oh for the potential race. I want to get it in before Oct 3rd's Grindstone 100 miler. I have already paid to enter this new and sure to be epic race. I don't have high expectations there, but want to be able to go and take part with the goal of a finish even if my legs are not specifically training for a trail mountain race.
I fly out to Chicago in 48hours and look forward to completing my training in prosthetics at Northwestern Univ and the Rehab Institute of Chicago. I aim to run a lot of doubles and road runs in the 5-7 mile range while there. I will also be taking part in the Ice Age 50 miler in 9 days as my brother Tim will be flying into town to go run the great Ice age races with me. The two of us have run marathons or ultras together in TX, NM, NC, and VA since he paced me the last 20 miles of the 2002 Western states 100. amazing how time has flown by!
Going forth I hope to give weekly updates on how my stay in Chicago is going and how my plan for a PR marathon is developing.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Reality? How Fast Can I Run
Tuesday- off tired legs!
Wednesday- 10.25miles- 1:19- hilly roads
Thursday- 11miles- 1:30- treadmill easy
Well as my opportunity to run a regulation road marathon draws closer I have begun to really wonder what I can do. It looks like the weather will be good, and the course although with a couple hills is more than fair.
Once again the gap between the athlete I once was (and still think I am) and my present shape is glaring at me. Since coming back from Egypt I really have not done the tempo or track workouts and have lost touch with what kind of shape I am in. The marathon distance itself should not be bad as I have done 4 long runs of 5-14 hours in the last 2 months, but all of these were on trails. I did put in a solid 25 miler on the roads 2 weeks ago but the 3:28 it took to run that did not include multiple stops for aid and to wait for the training group.
On Wednesday's run I ran a 6:49 mile on the only measured and flat stretch of the run with an effort I would judge to be something I could hold for 90+ minutes, but man you never know. Looking back I have rarely run a serious road marathon without a dramatic slowdown in the last 10k. The few I managed to run consistently in were negative split efforts. Lets hope I can pull off one of those on Sunday.
So for inspiration and a little bit of the "why the hell am I not faster" factor....check out Amy. This is the type of person I hope to start working with again in the next two weeks when I begin doing Physical therapy (again) and prosthetic (for the first time) work.
So what will I run??? My PR is the 2:54 I ran in 1997 in my debut at the distance (with 1:18 and 2:02 splits for 1/2 and 20 miles en route). My latest marathons were in April of 2006 when I ran 3:34 at the Charlottesville marathon one week after a 9 hour 50 miler and then ran 3:28 at Frederick. two weeks later. These were followed up by a year long deployment where I ran 3,000 miles around a one mile square base in the Sinai desert. So it should be interesting to see where I am now.
I ran a 1:28 half marathon in the beginning of the year which would indicate the capability of a 3:05 marathon according to Jack Daniel's physiological fitness calculator. Then in May I ran an 11:21 2 mile time trial which would equate to a 2:54. June 25th I ran a 10K tempo run on the track in Arlington in 40:49 and August 23rd I ran a 5k tempo in 19:45 which both give you a 3:08, Finally In September I ran a 4 mile cut down run in 26:08 which would indicate a 3:11. So I would guess I would be anywhere between 2:50 and 3:15 shape!
I probably can't break 3 hours which honestly ticks me off!
Wednesday- 10.25miles- 1:19- hilly roads
Thursday- 11miles- 1:30- treadmill easy
Well as my opportunity to run a regulation road marathon draws closer I have begun to really wonder what I can do. It looks like the weather will be good, and the course although with a couple hills is more than fair.
Once again the gap between the athlete I once was (and still think I am) and my present shape is glaring at me. Since coming back from Egypt I really have not done the tempo or track workouts and have lost touch with what kind of shape I am in. The marathon distance itself should not be bad as I have done 4 long runs of 5-14 hours in the last 2 months, but all of these were on trails. I did put in a solid 25 miler on the roads 2 weeks ago but the 3:28 it took to run that did not include multiple stops for aid and to wait for the training group.
On Wednesday's run I ran a 6:49 mile on the only measured and flat stretch of the run with an effort I would judge to be something I could hold for 90+ minutes, but man you never know. Looking back I have rarely run a serious road marathon without a dramatic slowdown in the last 10k. The few I managed to run consistently in were negative split efforts. Lets hope I can pull off one of those on Sunday.
So for inspiration and a little bit of the "why the hell am I not faster" factor....check out Amy. This is the type of person I hope to start working with again in the next two weeks when I begin doing Physical therapy (again) and prosthetic (for the first time) work.
So what will I run??? My PR is the 2:54 I ran in 1997 in my debut at the distance (with 1:18 and 2:02 splits for 1/2 and 20 miles en route). My latest marathons were in April of 2006 when I ran 3:34 at the Charlottesville marathon one week after a 9 hour 50 miler and then ran 3:28 at Frederick. two weeks later. These were followed up by a year long deployment where I ran 3,000 miles around a one mile square base in the Sinai desert. So it should be interesting to see where I am now.
I ran a 1:28 half marathon in the beginning of the year which would indicate the capability of a 3:05 marathon according to Jack Daniel's physiological fitness calculator. Then in May I ran an 11:21 2 mile time trial which would equate to a 2:54. June 25th I ran a 10K tempo run on the track in Arlington in 40:49 and August 23rd I ran a 5k tempo in 19:45 which both give you a 3:08, Finally In September I ran a 4 mile cut down run in 26:08 which would indicate a 3:11. So I would guess I would be anywhere between 2:50 and 3:15 shape!
I probably can't break 3 hours which honestly ticks me off!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Impressive Running
Tues- AM 4miles easy 33min
Some pretty impressive running in March by former Montrail team member Michael Wardian of my hometown Arlington, VA. He won the March 4th B& A Trail Marathon in 2:25. Then two weeks later finished 3rd with an Olympic Trails qualifying marathon time of 2:21 at the Shamrock Marathon in VA Beach March 18th. To complete the hat trick he came back to win the National Marathon in Wash DC on March 24th in 2:26. Not a bad month at all!
His ultra career is perhaps best known for what "could have been" as he was leading or got lost in several races including the 2001 Old Dominion 100- where he won but was DQ'd for going off course in the last 3 miles.
Some pretty impressive running in March by former Montrail team member Michael Wardian of my hometown Arlington, VA. He won the March 4th B& A Trail Marathon in 2:25. Then two weeks later finished 3rd with an Olympic Trails qualifying marathon time of 2:21 at the Shamrock Marathon in VA Beach March 18th. To complete the hat trick he came back to win the National Marathon in Wash DC on March 24th in 2:26. Not a bad month at all!
His ultra career is perhaps best known for what "could have been" as he was leading or got lost in several races including the 2001 Old Dominion 100- where he won but was DQ'd for going off course in the last 3 miles.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Sinai Marathon
Sat AM- 26.4 miles- 3:39:17- includes 10:30 of pit stops
Well after taking Thursday off Friday's run felt like crap. Sometimes the time off makes everything feel worse. Then today I got up at 6:45, ate a bar, drank some coke and slowly got around. By 7:30 I was placing my grocery bag aid station (water, Gatorade, 5 gels, and body glide) down behind the outdoor stage/stadium thingy in the shade. I began churning out 17:00-17:45 minute 2.2mile loops feeling sore in my calves and generally tired. Things got better after 30 minutes but by the 7th lap I seriously debated about aborting the long run effort. But, since I only go down to the south base every two weeks and enjoy its scenery, hills and softer surface so much I told myself to just do another lap and by then I was over the bad patch and continued to grind away. I stopped for 1:30-2:30 every 2nd lap (5 times total) to hit a gel and drink.
Considering last March I ran the Bataan Death March marathon in 3:47 and in April ran 3:34 at the Charlottesville marathon, and 3:28 at the Frederick marathon. Today's solo run up and down the 36 hills in the Sinai desert was a pretty good one.
Well after taking Thursday off Friday's run felt like crap. Sometimes the time off makes everything feel worse. Then today I got up at 6:45, ate a bar, drank some coke and slowly got around. By 7:30 I was placing my grocery bag aid station (water, Gatorade, 5 gels, and body glide) down behind the outdoor stage/stadium thingy in the shade. I began churning out 17:00-17:45 minute 2.2mile loops feeling sore in my calves and generally tired. Things got better after 30 minutes but by the 7th lap I seriously debated about aborting the long run effort. But, since I only go down to the south base every two weeks and enjoy its scenery, hills and softer surface so much I told myself to just do another lap and by then I was over the bad patch and continued to grind away. I stopped for 1:30-2:30 every 2nd lap (5 times total) to hit a gel and drink.
Considering last March I ran the Bataan Death March marathon in 3:47 and in April ran 3:34 at the Charlottesville marathon, and 3:28 at the Frederick marathon. Today's solo run up and down the 36 hills in the Sinai desert was a pretty good one.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Tough Dudes
I wanted to write and give congrats to some tough dudes on their runs this weekend.
First great job to Greg Crowther on his 50K National title and taking the $500 bucks for winning and the course record bonus.
Great job to Dick Beardsley who after 12 (or so) serious spinal surgeries, knee surgeries, car accidents, and farm machinery mishaps ran a solid 2:45 at the napa valley marathon at the age of 50.
Good work to Patrick Russell on this weekends 37 miler at 6:26 pace. Man, April's 100K National Championships is going to be a super heavyweight fight with Greg, Patrick, and Scott Jurek all set to battle.
First great job to Greg Crowther on his 50K National title and taking the $500 bucks for winning and the course record bonus.
Great job to Dick Beardsley who after 12 (or so) serious spinal surgeries, knee surgeries, car accidents, and farm machinery mishaps ran a solid 2:45 at the napa valley marathon at the age of 50.
Good work to Patrick Russell on this weekends 37 miler at 6:26 pace. Man, April's 100K National Championships is going to be a super heavyweight fight with Greg, Patrick, and Scott Jurek all set to battle.
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