Weekly Recap-9 Weeks to Houston

Sunday.
12, pretty good pace. Wind out of north and low humidity, but really sweated and felt wet.

Saturday.
Walk / jog 5 with hills in afternoon. 7 with bump in speed late afternoon. 4 easy at night.

Friday
5k race with girls in evening. 9 more at regular pace at night.

Thursday.
3 in morning, 3 at night. Running and eating like crap. Need to refocus, immediately.

Wednesday.
4walk / jog in the am. 6 at night normal pace.

Tuesday.
Ate like a pig again. Was going to do 20 tonight to burn fat, but after logging 81 miles in last six days, and just two weeks post race, I quit after 3. Need a break.

New strategy. Gonna cut hard runs except one speed and one 12 miler in next 8 days, with multiple 3-5 runs/walks to burn lots of calories and go low carb. If I can run new PR in half next week, I'll replan for Houston.

Monday
7.5 during lunch. Took day off from diet and pig out on cookies, ice cream, and candy. Have 18 tomorrow. Will knock it out and then go low carb rest of week.

Weekly Recap-10 Weeks to Houston

Sunday.
5 jog with 4 walk at hotel in morning. 2.5 with J down to Yorktown, then got on mill for another 2.5. 5 more at night, walked 1 more to stay honest.

Saturday.
11 in the morning. 7 with 5 at normal LT after lunch.

Friday
8.5 with light hills.

Thursday.
4 mile Turkey Chase with Jules in am. Walk / jog 5 in afternoon. Wanted to do 8-10 at night but exhausted, and too much turkey.

Wednesday.
6 in morning, normal pace. 8 after work, very strong pace. Walked / jog 5 at night.

Tuesday.
Two at night, called it quits. Didn't have 10 in me.

Monday
Walked 5 in morning. Ran 9 at night normal pace, walked 1 more.

Weekly Recap-11 Weeks to Houston

Sunday.
4 in a.m. Walked a couple more. 5 in p.m., walked another one.

Saturday.
Walk / jog 8.

Friday
Five during lunch; walked run another 5 at night.

Thursday.
Walked 7, easy jogged 3.

Wednesday.
Walked 10.

Tuesday.
Walked 10.

Monday
Off-1 mile walk

Marathon # 14-San Antonio

Marathon # 14

San Antonio

November 14^th, 2010

 

I ran my first marathon in 3:58.  Twelve months later I improved by 20 minutes;  12 months more and I was down another 20, running my first Boston Qualifier in 3:18.  I believed that in another 12 months I could be ready to go sub 3:00.  In fact,  I thought my 3:18 was a result of poor pacing and dehydration, and I was actually in sub 3:10 shape already.  Accordingly, I tried to run sub 3:10 in Boston three months later.

 

Well Boston being Boston, sub 3:10 was a bit too aggressive.   I tried again three months later while down in Australia.  Well, that's a long taxing trip, I shouldn't have expected to run well.  I was confident I would get sub 3:10 in the D.C. Marine Corp marathon that fall.  Well, that's a fairly hilly course and the weather was hot.  Three attempts, and no improvement, but it wasn't like I couldn't run a sub 3:10, I just needed some better weather or good course or something like that.

 

Twelve months had passed since my 3:18, and I hadn't improved at all.  But I was sure I would that month in Phoenix as the course was flat.  I was on a 3:07 pace at mile 20, but it was just too hot.  I cramped and finished in 3:13.  Four months later, and another 3:13 in Oregon.  Again, clearly I was in sub 3:10 shape, the fact I hadn't run it was just a technicality.  I actually thought I was probably in 3:05-3:06 shape, so I decided to skip my normal fall marathon and train to go sub 3:00 in Phoenix the subsequent year.

 

Ok, that effort clearly showed I wasn't even close to going sub 3:00.  I would have done sub 3:10, if I had run that pace and not killed myself going all out.  I came back six weeks later and tried sub 3:10 for a sixth time in New Orleans, Nope.  OK, two years had passed and I had only improved my 3:18 by five minutes.  As Quixotic as it might be, in my mind I had already run a sub 3:10.  Unfortunately, most races actually require you to run it in order for it to count. 

 

My goal was unchanged, but two years of elevated training was wearing on me.  After New Orleans I cut my training by two-thirds and abrogated my self-committed pledge to keep my weight down.  By April I was 15 lbs overweight and unmotivated.  In July we made our annual pilgrimage to my wife's homeland in Australia, where it was Winter.  "What a great opportunity to do some training!" I deluded myself into thinking.  After three weeks of eating more junk and then running the hilly landscape of South Sydney, not only was I not in any better shape, but now injured.  I had a terrible inflammation in my right hip.

 

When we returned in August, I was in my worse shape in four years.  Being fat, out-of-shape, and injured, I was incapable of doing any quality running even if I wanted to.  Well as Lenin was to have said, "Quantity has a quality of its own."  Thus I began putting in multiple short and easy jogs and walks: 4-6 in the morning, followed by 4-6 at night.  All-in-all I was getting in 70+ miles a week of low quality mileage.  By early September my weight had dropped, and my conditioning started to improve; though the inflammation in my hip was still terrible.  I hadn't run a race of any kind in six months, and wasn't sure I would be ready anytime soon.

 

But it's difficult to train unless there's a carrot.  So I signed up for the San Antonio marathon.  By early October my weight was much improved and I logged some solid long-runs, including two 20 milers.  However, I refrained from doing any speed work.  Nothing. No LTs, no VOmax, not even strides.  I was too afraid of aggravating my hip.   For the first time in two years I wasn't absolutely confident of my ability to run sub 3:10.  Race week I emailed a friend, "My training wasn't great, but good, some solid long runs.  My weight isn't perfect, but pretty good.  The weather is not ideal, but can't complain.  Hoping three goods=good enough.  Hoping to PR."

 

As I queued up behind the starting line the weather certainly was not ideal, 55 degrees at 7:00 a.m.  No beanie, no arm warmers, no gloves,  just a half-cut tank top.  However, there was a light north wind and the sky was very cloudy; that can compensate significantly for moderate temperatures.  I looked for the 3:10 pace leader, but couldn't find him anywhere.  I tried to form my own group of 2-4, "3:10?  Anyone shooting for 3:10?" I called out.  "Morning, what time are you shooting for?"  "I'm doing the half" he replied.  "How about you?"  "I'm doing the half too."  A half dozen more queries, all the same response, "Doing the half."  "Ok, well anyone shooting for a 1:35 half?" I tried.   "No, Nope, Uh-Uh, and Not me."  Well, looks like it was going to be a lonely day.  The gun fired and we were off.

 

At mile one I was 15 seconds off pace, as usual.  By mile three I was back on pace and feeling fair.  By mile six the runner congestion had dissipated and I was feeling much better; I relaxed my stride and tossed my shirt to catch any cooling breeze.  By mile eight I was 50 seconds ahead of pace and feeling great.  "OK, hold back, still 18 more of these to go." I reminded myself.  For the next five miles I would briefly slow and encourage other runners while passing.  I hit the halfway mark in 1:34:10, still 50 seconds ahead of pace and feeling great.  However, it still was a little warm and stuffy  when running with the wind.

 

I decided to give back the 50 seconds and looked for another runner to attached onto.  At mile 14, I came across two guys cruising side by side at a nice stride, and chatting away.  "Morning, what time are you shoot'in for?" I asked.  "No time in particular.  We're Ironman tri-athletes and just trying to get in some training." They answered.  Their pace seemed a nick under what I had been doing so I latched on and joined the conversation.  At mile 15 I was 30 seconds ahead of 3:10 and thinking, "Perfect.  Hold this for a few more and then back on stride at 18-20."

 

For the next three miles we three amigos talked about various runs we had done.  When we hit mile 18 I checked my pace, "What!?"  I checked again, "Oh Crap!"  I was 40 seconds behind 3:10.  I assumed I was giving back 10-15 seconds a mile while chit-chatting, in reality it was closer to 30.  I increased my arm swing and lengthened my stride.

 

I was back on my prior pace, plus some more; at mile 20 down to 30 seconds behind 3:10 pace.  At mile 22, just 15 seconds off pace but the greater intensity was wearing into my quads.  I came along side another solo-runner at 22 and we pushed each other hard into mile 23, now just 8 seconds behind pace but really hurting.  We were now returning to the inner-city and running the rolling freeway hills.  Without exchanging a word, he and I were pushing each other toward 3:10.

 

At 24 still eight seconds off pace, we turned at the freeway intersection, went around the retaining-wall, and fell into a sea of half-marathoners converging off their course into the shared finishing section; they were everywhere barely jogging or walking along both sides of the road, which was clearly delineated by cones to keep full marathoners on the right side, halfers to the left.    Now I truly admire and respect anyone who can complete a marathon, regardless of time.  Twenty-six miles is a long way even to walk.  I also appreciate the commitment it takes to do a half, for some that's still a hell of an accomplishment.  I always try to provide encouragement.   However, when you start being lapped by full marathoners, you're probably not making much of an effort.  But regardless, there's also a running etiquette.

 

To plug your ears with music, concatenate 5 wide with the rest of your weight-watchers support group, and then waddle in the middle of your own lane is just bad race etiquette.  However, to do it in the marathon lane means you deserve to be knock over!  "To the left please, coming through!" I called out.  My running companion was more direct, "Get the hell out of the way!  Move your ass over!!"  Nothing. Dozens of oblivious, overweight, laughing and chatting social groups masquerading as "runners" were spread all over the course like a south-Mediterranean archipelago.

 

To be honest, having to snake through the halfers only cost me 2-3 seconds, and actually helped a little.  Up to that point I was completely focused on my screaming quads, but completely forgot about them as I weaved through mile 24.   At the start of mile 25 stood a race official directing the halfers back into their lane.   I didn't even try to look at my pace and gave it everything I had knowing that I was still 8-10 seconds behind.

 

Pre-race another runner told me about a final freeway incline right at the finish.  I was sure that I had already passed it at 23.  At 25.5, there it was.    Not steep, but a gradual on-ramp extending forward about 200 yards, right before the final turn.   I ran as hard as I could hoping just to maintain my stride, but knowing I wouldn't make-up any time.  I could see the final turn and desperately hoped the finish would be a stone's throw away.  It was not to be; I turned the corner and saw the finish about 200 yards off.  I was going to come up 20-30 seconds short. 

 

I sprinted the home-stretch and crossed the finish line in a new PR of 3:10:22, placing 87^th out of 4,530 full marathoners.

 

Well, it isn't like I'm not in sub 3:10 shapeJ  I just need some better weather, or good course, or something like that.  I'll try again in Houston in 10 weeks.

 

David

 

 

 

 

San Antonio Quick Results

New PR, 3:10:22, 87th out of 4,530 finishers.

Time to "Shut up and Run"

Well, I'm still skeptical because I've never had good weather.  But the forecast is for 50 degrees, light north wind, and lots of cloud cover at the start.

 

My training wasn't great, but good, some solid long runs.  My weight isn't perfect, but pretty good.  The weather is not ideal, but can't complain.  Hoping three goods=good enough.  Hoping to PR.

 

 

Race Week-San Antonio Marathon

Sunday.

Saturday.

Friday

Thursday.
5 during lunch. Walked / jogged 6 at night.

Wednesday.
Four during lunch, four at night; walked 3 more to burn off some cookies.

Tuesday.
Walk / jog 5. Off low carbs for today, had a potato and some fruit.

Monday
5 miler, walked another to wind down.