I am so out of gym shape. I may be able to run my ass off for 3 hours but my body withers in the face of a few weights. I stopped in on Sunday, the gym was empty and I had high hopes. A light workout that would have been cake in the past has left me to damn achey today. Even my legs are sore. How does that happen when you are liftign with your arms? I have to make a little more commitment to this place even during heavy training. Once every two weeks is better than never for 9 months.
I went out for a run tonight through Manayunk. No plan, No route, No watch (that's a lie I have a very hard time running without a watch). It was run that had me pushing up hills and walking at the top, easy pace sometimes, and running up stairs at other times, weaving between poles and jumping over empty trash cans strewn about by our meticulous trashmen.
These type of runs have become a yearly occurence after a fall marathon. I don't think about running like this when I head out the door, it just happens. I think it is the break from routine and knowing this run really doesn't count. It's a freebie, like when the defense jumps offsides in football and the offense gets a free play. Running just to run and not beacuse I have to hit these splits or put in this many miles. I often wonder what people think when they see me running like this. Maybe it's "Look at that asshole" or "Damn that looks fun" or "Look at that asshole".
4.4 miles in 34 minutes
Monday, October 30, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Chicago (An Updated Photo Edition)
This will be my first attempt at adding photos to my blog so please bare with the results.
I saw all of these porta-potties and I couldn't resist getting a shot. People complain about the lack of bathrooms before the races in Philly and now I know why. Heather wasn't to keen on my normal pre-race ritual of peeing behind the closest obstruction so I actually used one of these things.
Heather and I in front of Buckingham Fountain. A ridiculously large fountain in the center of Grant Park not far from the start and finish of the race.
Heather was able to snap a photo of me near the finish. This is right before the final turn up the "hill" and to the finish. Josh is the guy in front of me, he was able to outkick me at the finish, another reason I need to get to the track.
This is a shot of Ryan and I at the post-race party. At this point we were fairly sober (at least I was, Ryan got there a while before me) but that was to change over the next couple hours. Ryan doesn't show it to much but I could tell he was incredibly happy with his time in the marathon. It was nice to have a friend to enjoy the race with.
We had to be out of our hotel by noon and our flight didn't leave until 8:30 so Heather and I wandered around downtown Chicago for most of the day on Monday. It was blustery and cold and neither of us really had the right clothes to deal with the temps but we sucked it up and enjoyed the city. We turned a corner and there was the the sculpture from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off". Heather didn't remember the scene in the movie so I did my best renditions of "Shout" and "Danke Schene" but I couldn't stir any memories.
As for my running. I did 4.4 miles on Tuesday which felt much better than I thought it would. I have also come down with a cold. I know I've read somehwere that you are much more likely to catch a cold after running a marathon and I guess it is true. I'm glad I got it this week and not last.
I'm going to make an attempt to go to the gym for an actual workout and maybe some swimming over the next couple months before getting into training for Boston.
I'll try to keep up 30-40 miles a week with at least a 10 mile long run and some speedwork. That should keep me in decent shape and hopefully make me a little quicker. The rest of this week will be spent on my ass or at least out of my running shoes.
I saw all of these porta-potties and I couldn't resist getting a shot. People complain about the lack of bathrooms before the races in Philly and now I know why. Heather wasn't to keen on my normal pre-race ritual of peeing behind the closest obstruction so I actually used one of these things.
Heather and I in front of Buckingham Fountain. A ridiculously large fountain in the center of Grant Park not far from the start and finish of the race.
Heather was able to snap a photo of me near the finish. This is right before the final turn up the "hill" and to the finish. Josh is the guy in front of me, he was able to outkick me at the finish, another reason I need to get to the track.
This is a shot of Ryan and I at the post-race party. At this point we were fairly sober (at least I was, Ryan got there a while before me) but that was to change over the next couple hours. Ryan doesn't show it to much but I could tell he was incredibly happy with his time in the marathon. It was nice to have a friend to enjoy the race with.
We had to be out of our hotel by noon and our flight didn't leave until 8:30 so Heather and I wandered around downtown Chicago for most of the day on Monday. It was blustery and cold and neither of us really had the right clothes to deal with the temps but we sucked it up and enjoyed the city. We turned a corner and there was the the sculpture from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off". Heather didn't remember the scene in the movie so I did my best renditions of "Shout" and "Danke Schene" but I couldn't stir any memories.As for my running. I did 4.4 miles on Tuesday which felt much better than I thought it would. I have also come down with a cold. I know I've read somehwere that you are much more likely to catch a cold after running a marathon and I guess it is true. I'm glad I got it this week and not last.
I'm going to make an attempt to go to the gym for an actual workout and maybe some swimming over the next couple months before getting into training for Boston.
I'll try to keep up 30-40 miles a week with at least a 10 mile long run and some speedwork. That should keep me in decent shape and hopefully make me a little quicker. The rest of this week will be spent on my ass or at least out of my running shoes.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Chicago
WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!
That’s what was running through my mind and, I think, coming out of my mouth as I crossed the finish line in Chicago on Sunday. Two years of training, since crossing the finish line in Baltimore in 2004, has finally paid off in a big way.
Heather and I arrived in Chicago on Friday afternoon, got to the hotel and went out for a run along the lake going north towards the race start. It was windy and cool, the conditions I expected for the race. On the way back we somehow happened to bump into Ryan from Philly Runners who was also there for the race. I didn’t think I would be bumping into a friend but coincidences do happen. We met him for a long relaxing dinner at busy Italian restaurant son Friday night.
Saturday was spent at the expo, which was ridiculously large. It made any expo I have been to so far seem like a warm-up to a real expo. Huge displays from just about every running shoe company I could think of, music, and throngs of people. I love the energy of the expo, thousands of people energized with anticipation for what is to come. I picked up a pair of gloves, a pair of sneakers, and handful of gels.
We wandered around town after that, getting early lunch and then late lunch and checked out the marathon starting area. I planned out my morning route to the start line from the “L” train and we headed back to the hotel. I was a little nervous about the race and the fact that I had been on my feet for a good bit of the day but I spent the rest of the evening sitting on my ass in bed. Except for a quick trip out for some Thai food I stayed off my feet.
I woke up at 5:00 on Sunday morning, ate a breakfast of a bagel/cream cheese, banana, a pint of OJ and a cup of coffee. I listened to Sublime on my iPod and tried to keep my mind busy by surfing the internet. This of course didn’t work and my mind kept going over my plan for the race. I wanted to start off a little slow and build into my pace over the first few miles. 22 minute 5K’s until mile 21 and then, if I felt good, I was going to pick it up and try to hammer it to the finish.
We stepped out of the hotel at 6:30 and it was dark cold and windy, cold enough for my ears to feel numb. This made me a little nervous but I like the cold, I run well in the cold and I knew after a few mile of warming up I’d be fine. Better cold than hot.
We went underground to catch the CTA train and there were runners everywhere. It was great. It felt like the Broad and Pattison subway stop before the Broad Street run but I knew this was going on all over the city. The subway was wall to wall runners; we squeezed in and held on for the ride.
It was still dark when we got off the train but you could see a touch of light on the horizon. The streets were alive with people all streaming towards the start and trying to keep warm. I made my way to the Preferred Start I area, a starting corral I qualified for with my Caesar Rodney race time in March.
It was about 7:20 am, 40 minutes from the start, the Corral was still fairly empty and I easily made my way towards the front about 3 people back from the front of the corral. I nervously chatted with a few runners and waited for the start. It was cold and breezy but I had on a longsleeve shirt that I planned on taking of a few miles in and being squeezed in with all of these people warmed me up.
The time quickly went by and just after the National Anthem was sung they let our corral walk up behind the competitive corral in front of us. I saw how close I was to the start and didn’t think I would have any trouble getting up to speed once the gun went off.
The start horn went off without any warning and we were on our way. It took about 45 secs to cross the starting line and I was moving pretty well.
The crowds were ridiculous. We went under a bridge just after starting and a wall of people were cheering us from above. I had chills and a huge smile on face. I was thinking “This is it John, keep it cool and don’t get swept up in the moment, or the pace, keep it slow and relaxed.” The first mile went by in 7:12, exactly the pace I was shooting for. I was in a fairly thick crowd and I was getting passed by a lot of runners but I held back and tried to get into a good rhythm. I just kept telling myself that I was running my own race and I had 25 miles to make up a couple slow ones in the beginning.
I had studied the route map but I was quickly disoriented with all of the turns and monotony of the crowd that was three people deep on the sidewalks. It made the Philly marathon feel like a little league game and I was at the World Series. I couldn’t believe it. Mile 2 went by in 6:56, a little quick but I really felt like I was falling into a good pace and didn’t sweat it.
The first 5K went by in 22:01, dead on. I wasn’t feeling as good as I would have liked but during long runs in training I felt much better at mile 12 than mile 4, that thought made me feel a little better. By mile 4 we were making our way into Lincoln Park, a large park north of downtown along the lake where the city’s zoo is located. I hit a slow mile 6 through the park in 7:17. This stunned me a bit, I needed to really concentrate on my pace. It seemed like any wandering of my mind was going to slow me down.
Despite the slow mile my 10K split was 44:07, right on track. After mile 7 we turned south back towards downtown. I was really cruising now and feeling good. The miles were ticking off perfectly. Miles 7-11 were, 7:02, 7:00, 7:01, 7:02, & 7:02. The crowds were great, and the wind was at our back. I still had a smile on my face and I just tried to enjoy the race. 15K split was 1:05:58; Holy Shit, perfectly on track.
Around mile 9 I started chatting with a guy who was also shooting for a 3:05. We fell into a pace a began running together without really saying anything about it. I found out he was from Manhattan and his name was Josh.
Except for a little hiccup, 7:10, at mile12 the miles were metronomic. Josh was asking me if I had run at this pace a lot in training and I said that I had done some training at this pace but at that point I just felt dialed in. 20K split was 1:28:00, I was astonished, I was running 22 minute 5K’s to the second. In fact, I guess Josh and I were moving along so well that we developed a bit of a group behind us, two guys that had tucked in and were along for the ride. We asked them to take the lead for a bit but after one mile we passed them and kept going. Miles 13,14 and15 were 7:01, 703 and 7:03. 25 K split in 1:49:50, I was getting a little ahead of my 22 minute 5K’s.
I had taken a gel at mile 10 and popped another between miles 16-17. In past marathons this was the point at which things started going downhill, my mind would start to wander, I’d start feeling less alert and my mile splits would steadily get longer and longer. In this race though I felt fantastic, I was getting the crowd into the race by raising my arms and cheering, I was smiling and, to my astonishment, I was passing people.
Josh and I were flying along, it was almost surreal. Was this really happening? Could I be feeling this good? Was this just a little fun before I hit the wall? It didn’t seem like it. Miles 16-20, 7:01, 7:05, 7:06, 7:06, and 7:03. The way I was feeling, mile 18 might as well have been mile 10.
After a water stop during this stretch Josh caught back up to me and said, “You are like a metronome”. I couldn’t help but smile and think of Seebo, Mr. Metronome himself. I wanted to try and explain what his comment had started me thinking but I thought the explanation would be a little lost on him and kept in my head.
As I had planned I started picking up the pace a little after mile 20. Not crushing the miles but just a little acceleration. Miles 21 and 22 both went by in 6:54. I honestly felt like I was running harder than this but fatigue was starting to catch up with me. However, I couldn’t have been happier.
3 miles to go!!! It is really going happen!!! I am going to run a good marathon!!! I am going to negative split!!! There are only 3 miles to go!!!!!!!
Based on past marathons I really didn’t think it was possible to feel confident and in control this late in race but I was. Things were definitely getting much harder by this point but I was handling it.
I knew the wind was going to be in my face during the last few miles and I just tried to prep for it before making the turn towards the north. Josh and I were still hitting the same pace and we were passing people non-stop. Scores of people, people running, people walking, and people stretching. I though back to last year when I was one of those people and I knew how they felt and damn if it didn’t feel great to be the guy passing this time.
Mile 23 was 6:55, and then we turned north. The wind smacked right into us. It would abate on occasion but it was fairly steady the last 3 miles. Mile 24 in 7:01. 2.2 to go and I just tried to push as hard as I thought I could sustain for the last couple miles.
Mile 25 was 6:56 and this was it, 1.2 to go. 1.2 miles and I would qualify for Boston. 1.2 miles and I would have a result to show for all those miles over the summer. 1.2 miles and I would be able to erase that feeling that had been at the back of mind since crossing the finish line in the Philly marathon a year before.
I tried to speed up as much as I could, which wasn’t to much at this point. I saw the 800 meters to go sign and we made a right up over a bridge. Ian had warned me that although this bridge was a bump in the road it would feel like a bit more this late in the race and he was right. It made it that much harder to push.
A left after the bridge and I could see the finish line. 400 Meters to go! I ran as hard as possible and crossed with my arms in the air. I was totally spent and totally wired at the same time. I yelled “Fucking Right!” and didn’t realize it until I got a few looks from the volunteers but I didn’t care and I didn’t think they did either after they saw the smile on my face.
I slowly made my way through the food chute and I bumped into Travis, a new guy to Philly runners. What are the chances?
I met up with Heather and we headed back to the hotel where I looked up the other Philly Runners who had run the race. Ryan also had a great race and Jeremy and Laura seemed like they finished well too. Congrats to everybody that ran.
That evening we joined Ryan at the Post Race party held in a huge tent not far from the race finish. We drank beers, talked about our races and watched a replay of the marathon on a giant screen, a good ending to a spectacular day.
I ran the race a little conservatively but that was the plan and it worked. Looking back I don’t think I would have changed anything about the race. Boston, here I come.
That’s what was running through my mind and, I think, coming out of my mouth as I crossed the finish line in Chicago on Sunday. Two years of training, since crossing the finish line in Baltimore in 2004, has finally paid off in a big way.
Heather and I arrived in Chicago on Friday afternoon, got to the hotel and went out for a run along the lake going north towards the race start. It was windy and cool, the conditions I expected for the race. On the way back we somehow happened to bump into Ryan from Philly Runners who was also there for the race. I didn’t think I would be bumping into a friend but coincidences do happen. We met him for a long relaxing dinner at busy Italian restaurant son Friday night.
Saturday was spent at the expo, which was ridiculously large. It made any expo I have been to so far seem like a warm-up to a real expo. Huge displays from just about every running shoe company I could think of, music, and throngs of people. I love the energy of the expo, thousands of people energized with anticipation for what is to come. I picked up a pair of gloves, a pair of sneakers, and handful of gels.
We wandered around town after that, getting early lunch and then late lunch and checked out the marathon starting area. I planned out my morning route to the start line from the “L” train and we headed back to the hotel. I was a little nervous about the race and the fact that I had been on my feet for a good bit of the day but I spent the rest of the evening sitting on my ass in bed. Except for a quick trip out for some Thai food I stayed off my feet.
I woke up at 5:00 on Sunday morning, ate a breakfast of a bagel/cream cheese, banana, a pint of OJ and a cup of coffee. I listened to Sublime on my iPod and tried to keep my mind busy by surfing the internet. This of course didn’t work and my mind kept going over my plan for the race. I wanted to start off a little slow and build into my pace over the first few miles. 22 minute 5K’s until mile 21 and then, if I felt good, I was going to pick it up and try to hammer it to the finish.
We stepped out of the hotel at 6:30 and it was dark cold and windy, cold enough for my ears to feel numb. This made me a little nervous but I like the cold, I run well in the cold and I knew after a few mile of warming up I’d be fine. Better cold than hot.
We went underground to catch the CTA train and there were runners everywhere. It was great. It felt like the Broad and Pattison subway stop before the Broad Street run but I knew this was going on all over the city. The subway was wall to wall runners; we squeezed in and held on for the ride.
It was still dark when we got off the train but you could see a touch of light on the horizon. The streets were alive with people all streaming towards the start and trying to keep warm. I made my way to the Preferred Start I area, a starting corral I qualified for with my Caesar Rodney race time in March.
It was about 7:20 am, 40 minutes from the start, the Corral was still fairly empty and I easily made my way towards the front about 3 people back from the front of the corral. I nervously chatted with a few runners and waited for the start. It was cold and breezy but I had on a longsleeve shirt that I planned on taking of a few miles in and being squeezed in with all of these people warmed me up.
The time quickly went by and just after the National Anthem was sung they let our corral walk up behind the competitive corral in front of us. I saw how close I was to the start and didn’t think I would have any trouble getting up to speed once the gun went off.
The start horn went off without any warning and we were on our way. It took about 45 secs to cross the starting line and I was moving pretty well.
The crowds were ridiculous. We went under a bridge just after starting and a wall of people were cheering us from above. I had chills and a huge smile on face. I was thinking “This is it John, keep it cool and don’t get swept up in the moment, or the pace, keep it slow and relaxed.” The first mile went by in 7:12, exactly the pace I was shooting for. I was in a fairly thick crowd and I was getting passed by a lot of runners but I held back and tried to get into a good rhythm. I just kept telling myself that I was running my own race and I had 25 miles to make up a couple slow ones in the beginning.
I had studied the route map but I was quickly disoriented with all of the turns and monotony of the crowd that was three people deep on the sidewalks. It made the Philly marathon feel like a little league game and I was at the World Series. I couldn’t believe it. Mile 2 went by in 6:56, a little quick but I really felt like I was falling into a good pace and didn’t sweat it.
The first 5K went by in 22:01, dead on. I wasn’t feeling as good as I would have liked but during long runs in training I felt much better at mile 12 than mile 4, that thought made me feel a little better. By mile 4 we were making our way into Lincoln Park, a large park north of downtown along the lake where the city’s zoo is located. I hit a slow mile 6 through the park in 7:17. This stunned me a bit, I needed to really concentrate on my pace. It seemed like any wandering of my mind was going to slow me down.
Despite the slow mile my 10K split was 44:07, right on track. After mile 7 we turned south back towards downtown. I was really cruising now and feeling good. The miles were ticking off perfectly. Miles 7-11 were, 7:02, 7:00, 7:01, 7:02, & 7:02. The crowds were great, and the wind was at our back. I still had a smile on my face and I just tried to enjoy the race. 15K split was 1:05:58; Holy Shit, perfectly on track.
Around mile 9 I started chatting with a guy who was also shooting for a 3:05. We fell into a pace a began running together without really saying anything about it. I found out he was from Manhattan and his name was Josh.
Except for a little hiccup, 7:10, at mile12 the miles were metronomic. Josh was asking me if I had run at this pace a lot in training and I said that I had done some training at this pace but at that point I just felt dialed in. 20K split was 1:28:00, I was astonished, I was running 22 minute 5K’s to the second. In fact, I guess Josh and I were moving along so well that we developed a bit of a group behind us, two guys that had tucked in and were along for the ride. We asked them to take the lead for a bit but after one mile we passed them and kept going. Miles 13,14 and15 were 7:01, 703 and 7:03. 25 K split in 1:49:50, I was getting a little ahead of my 22 minute 5K’s.
I had taken a gel at mile 10 and popped another between miles 16-17. In past marathons this was the point at which things started going downhill, my mind would start to wander, I’d start feeling less alert and my mile splits would steadily get longer and longer. In this race though I felt fantastic, I was getting the crowd into the race by raising my arms and cheering, I was smiling and, to my astonishment, I was passing people.
Josh and I were flying along, it was almost surreal. Was this really happening? Could I be feeling this good? Was this just a little fun before I hit the wall? It didn’t seem like it. Miles 16-20, 7:01, 7:05, 7:06, 7:06, and 7:03. The way I was feeling, mile 18 might as well have been mile 10.
After a water stop during this stretch Josh caught back up to me and said, “You are like a metronome”. I couldn’t help but smile and think of Seebo, Mr. Metronome himself. I wanted to try and explain what his comment had started me thinking but I thought the explanation would be a little lost on him and kept in my head.
As I had planned I started picking up the pace a little after mile 20. Not crushing the miles but just a little acceleration. Miles 21 and 22 both went by in 6:54. I honestly felt like I was running harder than this but fatigue was starting to catch up with me. However, I couldn’t have been happier.
3 miles to go!!! It is really going happen!!! I am going to run a good marathon!!! I am going to negative split!!! There are only 3 miles to go!!!!!!!
Based on past marathons I really didn’t think it was possible to feel confident and in control this late in race but I was. Things were definitely getting much harder by this point but I was handling it.
I knew the wind was going to be in my face during the last few miles and I just tried to prep for it before making the turn towards the north. Josh and I were still hitting the same pace and we were passing people non-stop. Scores of people, people running, people walking, and people stretching. I though back to last year when I was one of those people and I knew how they felt and damn if it didn’t feel great to be the guy passing this time.
Mile 23 was 6:55, and then we turned north. The wind smacked right into us. It would abate on occasion but it was fairly steady the last 3 miles. Mile 24 in 7:01. 2.2 to go and I just tried to push as hard as I thought I could sustain for the last couple miles.
Mile 25 was 6:56 and this was it, 1.2 to go. 1.2 miles and I would qualify for Boston. 1.2 miles and I would have a result to show for all those miles over the summer. 1.2 miles and I would be able to erase that feeling that had been at the back of mind since crossing the finish line in the Philly marathon a year before.
I tried to speed up as much as I could, which wasn’t to much at this point. I saw the 800 meters to go sign and we made a right up over a bridge. Ian had warned me that although this bridge was a bump in the road it would feel like a bit more this late in the race and he was right. It made it that much harder to push.
A left after the bridge and I could see the finish line. 400 Meters to go! I ran as hard as possible and crossed with my arms in the air. I was totally spent and totally wired at the same time. I yelled “Fucking Right!” and didn’t realize it until I got a few looks from the volunteers but I didn’t care and I didn’t think they did either after they saw the smile on my face.
I slowly made my way through the food chute and I bumped into Travis, a new guy to Philly runners. What are the chances?
I met up with Heather and we headed back to the hotel where I looked up the other Philly Runners who had run the race. Ryan also had a great race and Jeremy and Laura seemed like they finished well too. Congrats to everybody that ran.
That evening we joined Ryan at the Post Race party held in a huge tent not far from the race finish. We drank beers, talked about our races and watched a replay of the marathon on a giant screen, a good ending to a spectacular day.
I ran the race a little conservatively but that was the plan and it worked. Looking back I don’t think I would have changed anything about the race. Boston, here I come.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
A Quick Update
Yes I am am posting from the hotel room just a couple hours after finishing but I am so excitied about it that I couldn't wait.
I'll just say that things really couldn't have gone any better than they did. I had a plan in mind before starting and I nailed it. Thanks for the support everybody and I'll see you all in a bit.
I'll just say that things really couldn't have gone any better than they did. I had a plan in mind before starting and I nailed it. Thanks for the support everybody and I'll see you all in a bit.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
By Jack Handy
I ran a little over 4 miles in a loop through Manayunk last night. This used to be a fairly common route for me but I haven't run it in months. These shorter runs end just as I have finally warmed up to them and I'd really like to keep going. I forgot to start my watch but I think it was about 32 minutes.
Ian, posted a comment about me going under 3 hours in a not to distant future marathon and it stirred up some thoughts that I was having before marathon training started.
Qualifying for Boston has been a goal of mine for the past couple years and hopefully Sunday I will achieve it but what then? The most logical would be sub 3:00 and then what? When do you say enough is enough? I guess that really depends on the person, what running means to them and also how much time they can devote to it.
I am counting my chickens before they are hatched but I think running may get put on the back burner for a long while after Chicago. I still plan on putting in miles every week and hopefully I'll be training over the winter for a marathon in April but I don't think I am going to have the same drive and determination.
I obviously don't know how things are going to be in a couple of months and I'll just have to deal with it as it comes. Putting running to the side may be a lot harder than just saying I'd like to do a little less of this. It is like an addiction and right now I'm hooked. I guess I'll just have to see what happens.
Ian, posted a comment about me going under 3 hours in a not to distant future marathon and it stirred up some thoughts that I was having before marathon training started.
Qualifying for Boston has been a goal of mine for the past couple years and hopefully Sunday I will achieve it but what then? The most logical would be sub 3:00 and then what? When do you say enough is enough? I guess that really depends on the person, what running means to them and also how much time they can devote to it.
I am counting my chickens before they are hatched but I think running may get put on the back burner for a long while after Chicago. I still plan on putting in miles every week and hopefully I'll be training over the winter for a marathon in April but I don't think I am going to have the same drive and determination.
I obviously don't know how things are going to be in a couple of months and I'll just have to deal with it as it comes. Putting running to the side may be a lot harder than just saying I'd like to do a little less of this. It is like an addiction and right now I'm hooked. I guess I'll just have to see what happens.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Looking Back
I flipped to the next page of my weekly calendar at work and there was the word "marathon" sitting right at the bottom on Sunday. I remember sketching out a rough training plan in this calendar back in June. Not much to it, just some mileage goals for each week and the distance of my long runs so I could keep things straight.
At the time the mileage looked daunting, the summer looked long, and the marathon seemed very far away. Of course the time flew by, there were a lot of miles, for me at least, but they weren't as bad as I thought they were going to be. I compared my goals in the calendar to my actual mileage and I just about nailed it. There were a couple weeks that I was 10-15 miles short but it was either do to extreme heat or some aches and pains that I thought would be better served by a few less miles than trying to push things.
I thought it might be a good idea to go through a couple pluses and minuses of my training, perhaps give me something to look back at for my next training cycle.
Pluses.
-Long Runs - My long runs just about all went well this year. I decided to work speed into several of them by hitting some faster miles towards the end of the runs and it worked. I think it boosted my confidence to run hard on tired legs and prepared my body to work hard with less energy.
The long runs also did not feel as taxing after I completed them this year, I bounced back much quicker than in the past. It think this is due to two things, more total mileage each week so that the long run wasn't as big a chunk of my weekly mileage and the fact that I just have a lot more miles under my belt.
-Mid week runs - I built from about a 10 mile mid week run up to a couple 14 milers as my training progressed. This added a good bit of miles to my weekly total and left me better prepared for my long runs on the weekend.
-Races - I ran several races in the 5K range this year especially towards the end of my training and although I don't think any of them were as fast as I would have liked they were definitely a good speed work out.
Minuses
-Races Due to the fact that these races were slower than I hoped it was a bit of a downer. I try to keep in perspective that I am training through these races and they aren't goals but I was still hoping to pull off a PR somewhere along the way. That'll just have to wait until after the marathon
-Track Work I have mentioned several times in this blog that I need to get out to the track more often and again it didn't happen this year. The high mileage drains my legs and track workouts tend to really beat me up so I shied away from them. Although it is a marathon and pure speed isn't totally necessary I have no doubt that some time on the track can be a big boost. I'll have to make more of an effort this winter.
-Scheduling It's not really my style but I think a better schedule would help me in training. I schedule my long runs of course but everything else kind of just happens based on how I feel. I think scheduling things like tempo runs, track workouts and hill workouts a little more rigidly would help me in the future.
It is good to look back but now it's done and overall it went well. I of course now feel like I didn't do enough but it wouldn't be a true taper unless I felt that way.
I ran 7.5 easy miles with Heather yesterday afternoon on Forbidden Drive and my legs feel good, solid, they were aching to pick up the pace but I was content to be going slow and enjoying this beautiful fall weather.
A few easy runs this week with a couple of pick-ups and that is all that's left.
Now this could only happen to a guy like me
And only happen in a town like this
so let me say to each of you most graciously
as I blow each on of you a kiss
This is my kind of town Chicago is
My kind of town Chicago is
one town that won't let you down
It's my kind of town.
Lets hope so.
At the time the mileage looked daunting, the summer looked long, and the marathon seemed very far away. Of course the time flew by, there were a lot of miles, for me at least, but they weren't as bad as I thought they were going to be. I compared my goals in the calendar to my actual mileage and I just about nailed it. There were a couple weeks that I was 10-15 miles short but it was either do to extreme heat or some aches and pains that I thought would be better served by a few less miles than trying to push things.
I thought it might be a good idea to go through a couple pluses and minuses of my training, perhaps give me something to look back at for my next training cycle.
Pluses.
-Long Runs - My long runs just about all went well this year. I decided to work speed into several of them by hitting some faster miles towards the end of the runs and it worked. I think it boosted my confidence to run hard on tired legs and prepared my body to work hard with less energy.
The long runs also did not feel as taxing after I completed them this year, I bounced back much quicker than in the past. It think this is due to two things, more total mileage each week so that the long run wasn't as big a chunk of my weekly mileage and the fact that I just have a lot more miles under my belt.
-Mid week runs - I built from about a 10 mile mid week run up to a couple 14 milers as my training progressed. This added a good bit of miles to my weekly total and left me better prepared for my long runs on the weekend.
-Races - I ran several races in the 5K range this year especially towards the end of my training and although I don't think any of them were as fast as I would have liked they were definitely a good speed work out.
Minuses
-Races Due to the fact that these races were slower than I hoped it was a bit of a downer. I try to keep in perspective that I am training through these races and they aren't goals but I was still hoping to pull off a PR somewhere along the way. That'll just have to wait until after the marathon
-Track Work I have mentioned several times in this blog that I need to get out to the track more often and again it didn't happen this year. The high mileage drains my legs and track workouts tend to really beat me up so I shied away from them. Although it is a marathon and pure speed isn't totally necessary I have no doubt that some time on the track can be a big boost. I'll have to make more of an effort this winter.
-Scheduling It's not really my style but I think a better schedule would help me in training. I schedule my long runs of course but everything else kind of just happens based on how I feel. I think scheduling things like tempo runs, track workouts and hill workouts a little more rigidly would help me in the future.
It is good to look back but now it's done and overall it went well. I of course now feel like I didn't do enough but it wouldn't be a true taper unless I felt that way.
I ran 7.5 easy miles with Heather yesterday afternoon on Forbidden Drive and my legs feel good, solid, they were aching to pick up the pace but I was content to be going slow and enjoying this beautiful fall weather.
A few easy runs this week with a couple of pick-ups and that is all that's left.
Now this could only happen to a guy like me
And only happen in a town like this
so let me say to each of you most graciously
as I blow each on of you a kiss
This is my kind of town Chicago is
My kind of town Chicago is
one town that won't let you down
It's my kind of town.
Lets hope so.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Haven't had as much ooomph to post with the taper. The workouts just don't seem as important but I don't want to fall to far behind so....
Wednesday was a day off. I could go into the details of what I do on nights when I don't run but it sure as hell isn't that exciting and I'd like you to continue reading the blog so I'll hold off.
Thursday Nighters group run on umm Thursday night. A good group, a nice pace and a whole bunch of chatter over a multitude of topics. I remember soemthing about Darwin, urine and E-Mikes shit time in a race. The weather has been perfect for running. Cool temps, light winds and mostly clear skies. My favorite time of year to run.
Friday was a trip on the trails in the Wissahickon. I ran than a little faster than was probably safe at this point but I just felt to good to hold back. 5 miles in 35 minutes and I really wanted to keep going.
This morning I drove with Heather to a 5K in Fairmount which started on Brown street behind Eastern State Penitentiary. Steve G, Ian, Elizabeth, E-Mike and Kev J were also there to run as a team. Checking out the competition beforehand I didn't think the team would have to much trouble winning.
My thoughts were confirmed when I saw Ian coming around the corner on Fairmount with nobody in site behind him. He looked comfortable and happy at the finish of his 17:3x race. A couple race officials that I was standing with on the corner were a little awed by his lead and one woman even joked that he might have taken a shortcut. Next in line was Kev J who ran a PR race and also was looking good. The rest of the team quickly came in and I am pretty sure that they all finished in the top 25-30.
After the race I hastily made my way over to the Art Museum to lead the group run. I thought it was going to be a small group but in the last couple minutes a lot of people popped up and we started off with about 20.
Kept if fairly easy going out on West river. I was surprised to see the miles were 7:20's, it felt good. On the way back I was paired up with Travis, a new runner to the group who is also running Chicago. Although we tried to slow down a couple times the pace stayed right below 7:00 the whole way back. 8.4 miles in 61 minutes.
Wednesday was a day off. I could go into the details of what I do on nights when I don't run but it sure as hell isn't that exciting and I'd like you to continue reading the blog so I'll hold off.
Thursday Nighters group run on umm Thursday night. A good group, a nice pace and a whole bunch of chatter over a multitude of topics. I remember soemthing about Darwin, urine and E-Mikes shit time in a race. The weather has been perfect for running. Cool temps, light winds and mostly clear skies. My favorite time of year to run.
Friday was a trip on the trails in the Wissahickon. I ran than a little faster than was probably safe at this point but I just felt to good to hold back. 5 miles in 35 minutes and I really wanted to keep going.
This morning I drove with Heather to a 5K in Fairmount which started on Brown street behind Eastern State Penitentiary. Steve G, Ian, Elizabeth, E-Mike and Kev J were also there to run as a team. Checking out the competition beforehand I didn't think the team would have to much trouble winning.
My thoughts were confirmed when I saw Ian coming around the corner on Fairmount with nobody in site behind him. He looked comfortable and happy at the finish of his 17:3x race. A couple race officials that I was standing with on the corner were a little awed by his lead and one woman even joked that he might have taken a shortcut. Next in line was Kev J who ran a PR race and also was looking good. The rest of the team quickly came in and I am pretty sure that they all finished in the top 25-30.
After the race I hastily made my way over to the Art Museum to lead the group run. I thought it was going to be a small group but in the last couple minutes a lot of people popped up and we started off with about 20.
Kept if fairly easy going out on West river. I was surprised to see the miles were 7:20's, it felt good. On the way back I was paired up with Travis, a new runner to the group who is also running Chicago. Although we tried to slow down a couple times the pace stayed right below 7:00 the whole way back. 8.4 miles in 61 minutes.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Slow and Fast
I received my Chicago number in the mail this afternoon, 7013. I guess the 7 and the 13 kind of balance one another out so I shouldn't have anything to worry about. For me it more hammered home the fact that the race is less than two weeks away. Reading the race brochure that came along with it made me want to get the show on the road and run this damn thing. I guess memories do fade but I swear I am more excited and impatient for this marathon to get here than any in the past.
Also I found something very coincidental. After getting my number and looking over the info I pulled a few $20's out of my pocket and on one of them was written "Holy City Chicago" on the back side and "Bitch" with "Chicago" written around the borders on the front side all in red ink. What the hell is up with that. Again I am not superstitious but this one got me thinking... maybe I shouldn't spend it.
Anyhow, the running.
Monday was an easy 6 with Heather on Forbidden Drive in 48 minutes.
Tuesday, the group run with many of the regulars making an appearance. I had planned on going fast and making it my last fairly hard workout. The miles went as follows:
6:44 and feeling great,
6:46 and started to pick it up to catch up with Ian and Stevus,
6:16 I was really starting to feel it now but in a very controlled way,
6:21 lost a few seconds in this mile but still right where I wanted to be. I don't think fatigue had really slowed me down, maybe it was chatting it up with Ian who was graciously urging me on,
6:13 this last mile was quicker than expected because it was uphill and I really didn't feel like I was pushing.
Thought this might have been my fastest five with the group but surprisingly I found a slightly faster one last October and one in April of this year. This one might have been a little slower but looking back at my log I know I didn't have to work as hard to get it done.
Pretty much on cruise control from here on out.
Also I found something very coincidental. After getting my number and looking over the info I pulled a few $20's out of my pocket and on one of them was written "Holy City Chicago" on the back side and "Bitch" with "Chicago" written around the borders on the front side all in red ink. What the hell is up with that. Again I am not superstitious but this one got me thinking... maybe I shouldn't spend it.
Anyhow, the running.
Monday was an easy 6 with Heather on Forbidden Drive in 48 minutes.
Tuesday, the group run with many of the regulars making an appearance. I had planned on going fast and making it my last fairly hard workout. The miles went as follows:
6:44 and feeling great,
6:46 and started to pick it up to catch up with Ian and Stevus,
6:16 I was really starting to feel it now but in a very controlled way,
6:21 lost a few seconds in this mile but still right where I wanted to be. I don't think fatigue had really slowed me down, maybe it was chatting it up with Ian who was graciously urging me on,
6:13 this last mile was quicker than expected because it was uphill and I really didn't feel like I was pushing.
Thought this might have been my fastest five with the group but surprisingly I found a slightly faster one last October and one in April of this year. This one might have been a little slower but looking back at my log I know I didn't have to work as hard to get it done.
Pretty much on cruise control from here on out.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Back in Action
Last night I went out for 6 on Kelly drive. I wanted to push things a little more than the night before and that was easily done. I had a hard time keeping the pace slower than 7:30 and my leg felt fine. A little more than 6 miles in 47 minutes.
Things felt so good that I decided to get my ass up early to meet Seebo for 14 miles this morning. The weather was cold and dreary but luckily that had no bearing on the run or the company.
We fell into a quick pace from the start and hit 7:30 miles all the way up Kelly drive into Manayunk. The pace may have slowed a bit through here but we definitely weren't going slow. Conversation flowed and before I knew we were a 1/4 of the way up the first hill on Belmont Avenue. For some reason this section of hills felt different this time. We just kept up the conversation and a fairly decent pace They seemed less of a challenge than normal which I guess is a really good thing. ( This could also be because I had only run 16 miles prior to Saturday and my legs were probably fresher than they have ever been hitting these hills)
The remainder of the way was Fairmount Park where we ran into the a large group doing the Breast Cancer Three Day Walk. What a spread they had setup on the Belmont Plateau, with huge tents, tractor trailers, music, bathrooms, and tons of workers. With all the money they had spent on that it made me wonder how there was any left for the charity.
I cut through the Gardens and by the Japanese Tea House where I saw a lot more walkers and people in some other kind of race for research. Back down to MLK and I passed the Philly Runners group headed the other direction. They had a large group all with smiles on their faces and it made me wish I was on a longer run so I could jump in with them.
Eventually finished in front of the Art Museum for 14 miles in 1hr 44 minutes. A brisk 7:25 pace. I was definitely amped after the run having completed it with no pain. 2 more weeks :)!
Things felt so good that I decided to get my ass up early to meet Seebo for 14 miles this morning. The weather was cold and dreary but luckily that had no bearing on the run or the company.
We fell into a quick pace from the start and hit 7:30 miles all the way up Kelly drive into Manayunk. The pace may have slowed a bit through here but we definitely weren't going slow. Conversation flowed and before I knew we were a 1/4 of the way up the first hill on Belmont Avenue. For some reason this section of hills felt different this time. We just kept up the conversation and a fairly decent pace They seemed less of a challenge than normal which I guess is a really good thing. ( This could also be because I had only run 16 miles prior to Saturday and my legs were probably fresher than they have ever been hitting these hills)
The remainder of the way was Fairmount Park where we ran into the a large group doing the Breast Cancer Three Day Walk. What a spread they had setup on the Belmont Plateau, with huge tents, tractor trailers, music, bathrooms, and tons of workers. With all the money they had spent on that it made me wonder how there was any left for the charity.
I cut through the Gardens and by the Japanese Tea House where I saw a lot more walkers and people in some other kind of race for research. Back down to MLK and I passed the Philly Runners group headed the other direction. They had a large group all with smiles on their faces and it made me wish I was on a longer run so I could jump in with them.
Eventually finished in front of the Art Museum for 14 miles in 1hr 44 minutes. A brisk 7:25 pace. I was definitely amped after the run having completed it with no pain. 2 more weeks :)!
Friday, October 06, 2006
I went out for a very easy run last night on Kelly Drive. Parked at the St. Joe's Boathouse and ran to the Art Museum and back. I was actually surprised at how slow I could keep the run. I don't think I had a mile over 8:30 pace, just plodding along listening to my iPod.
I could feel a little tightness in my calf but it seemed okay. I debated picking up the pace or adding some distance but stuck to my original planned and called it quits after 5.5 miles in 46 minutes.
Shooting for a slightly faster run this eveing see how things go.
I could feel a little tightness in my calf but it seemed okay. I debated picking up the pace or adding some distance but stuck to my original planned and called it quits after 5.5 miles in 46 minutes.
Shooting for a slightly faster run this eveing see how things go.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
The calf problem I complained about in the last post progressively felt better over a couple days off and was just about non-existent when I drove to the Art Museum for the Tuesday night group run. I decided to take it easy on the run anyhow just to see how things felt.
The first couple miles were at 8:00 pace and all was good. I picked it up a bit after that to about 7:30 pace and I coould feel a little tightness in my calf but in a different spot than it had occured on Saturday. This however got worse during the run and I had really slowed down by the end. I wasn't in aching pain but I just didn't want to push it.
It is a little tender at this point and my hopes of just a passing problem have been dashed a bit after tonights run. So now I am unsure of what to do. Should I ice it and take it easy running or should I just totally take off from running for a few more days? I could chalk this week up as a total loss and just put in a few 5 miles runs but I was hoping for a 45-50 mile week.
My plan now is to take it day by day and stick to short runs near my house so I can stop and walk home if I feel anything. Damn.
The first couple miles were at 8:00 pace and all was good. I picked it up a bit after that to about 7:30 pace and I coould feel a little tightness in my calf but in a different spot than it had occured on Saturday. This however got worse during the run and I had really slowed down by the end. I wasn't in aching pain but I just didn't want to push it.
It is a little tender at this point and my hopes of just a passing problem have been dashed a bit after tonights run. So now I am unsure of what to do. Should I ice it and take it easy running or should I just totally take off from running for a few more days? I could chalk this week up as a total loss and just put in a few 5 miles runs but I was hoping for a 45-50 mile week.
My plan now is to take it day by day and stick to short runs near my house so I can stop and walk home if I feel anything. Damn.
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