Week 15 was ok: ~ 60 miles with no real LR.
This week, 16, was the same. Somewhere between 60 and 70 miles.
I dnf'd in the 50 miler this morning. Couldn't eat/keep anything down after mile 20. By the drop bags at mile 28.9, I still wasn't eating and had zero energy. Hoping to redeem myself next weekend at the Tacoma City Marathon and/or PigTails...I'm still trying to process the whole thing (hence the scatteredness of this post). Will probably write a better RR when I've had some time.
27 April 2014
13 April 2014
Week 14
Monday: 7 miles (7:16)
Tuesday: 9.38 miles (7:11)
Wednesday am: 12.5 miles (8:58)
Wednesday pm: 5.21 miles (8:56, coaching)
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: 8 miles (8:30)- 1 mile warm up 4x1 mile uphill (0.5 mile recovery): 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 1 mile cool down
Saturday: 30 miles (8:24)- 7.x solo miles, 20.x miles coaching, 2.7 solo @ 6:28
Sunday: 10 miles (7:15)
Total: 82.09 (8:09)
This was a very solid week of training! Not really sure when I decided to run 6 days instead of the usual 5, it just sorta happened. Tuesday's run was faster than I had planned so I took it super easy on Wednesday's runs.
For Saturday's LR, I ran 7ish miles solo before our training group met, 20ish with the group and 2.7 solo @6:28 pace to close out. I felt super strong during that last solo effort. To be honest, I was almost ready to call it good at 27 miles. Even though I had planned on 30 for the day, 27 seemed ok.
Then I started thinking about wanting to be fast at my 50 miler at the end of the month and I thought about a quote from NorthFace ultra runner Rob Krar "You have to be ready to go to a dark place and embrace it". This was from an interview where he was talking about his ability to run fast at the end of an ultra (specifically the last 4 miles of the UROC 100k which he ran at 5:16 pace). Its not enough for your body to be capable, you have to be mentally willing. In the past, I think that has been a huge part of why I haven't ran sub-3 in the marathon yet. So, I pushed for the last 2.7 miles and I couldn't be any happier with the result.
Fueling for the run was much better this time around (compared to my other 30 milers). Started off with a bagel and a bottle of Perform about an hour before running. During the run, I had 3 PowerGels, 1 Energy Blend and 1 Harvest Energy Bar. Immediately after the run, I had a TripleThreat protein bar and a bottle of Recovery.
Oh, I finally figured out the best placement for my HR strap too. Wore it for the whole run with no chaffing issues. For those of you new to this blog, I have a minor heart condition so I like to wear a HR strap during long runs and workouts to make sure I'm not pushing more than my heart can handle. Sometimes everything else feels great but my heart doesn't cooperate (see my post about this past fall's Portland Marathon).
Fueling and recovering smartly from Saturday made today's run awesome. A solid 10 mile effort with one PowerGel at mile 4. I slept in a bit this morning, worked on lectures, had lunch with my amazing wife and then went for the run. During the week, all of my runs (minus coaching Wednesday night) are super early in the morning. During Pigtails, I'll be running at all hours so I want to get some more daytime runs in when I can.
Going forward, my weekly plan is: Monday-Rest, Tuesday-Run, Wednesday-Double, Thursday-rest, Friday-Run, Saturday-Long, Sunday-Double. That should let me punch my mileage a bit higher; looking to hit 90+, 100+ and 80+ before tapering after the Tacoma City Marathon.
Non-running wise, the week was pretty good. I was able to get ahead a little in my lectures (mostly from this morning), class went well on Tuesday/Thursday night, taxes got filed and I got to spend time with my wife.
#PBTE
Tuesday: 9.38 miles (7:11)
Wednesday am: 12.5 miles (8:58)
Wednesday pm: 5.21 miles (8:56, coaching)
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: 8 miles (8:30)- 1 mile warm up 4x1 mile uphill (0.5 mile recovery): 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 1 mile cool down
Saturday: 30 miles (8:24)- 7.x solo miles, 20.x miles coaching, 2.7 solo @ 6:28
Sunday: 10 miles (7:15)
Total: 82.09 (8:09)
This was a very solid week of training! Not really sure when I decided to run 6 days instead of the usual 5, it just sorta happened. Tuesday's run was faster than I had planned so I took it super easy on Wednesday's runs.
For Saturday's LR, I ran 7ish miles solo before our training group met, 20ish with the group and 2.7 solo @6:28 pace to close out. I felt super strong during that last solo effort. To be honest, I was almost ready to call it good at 27 miles. Even though I had planned on 30 for the day, 27 seemed ok.
Then I started thinking about wanting to be fast at my 50 miler at the end of the month and I thought about a quote from NorthFace ultra runner Rob Krar "You have to be ready to go to a dark place and embrace it". This was from an interview where he was talking about his ability to run fast at the end of an ultra (specifically the last 4 miles of the UROC 100k which he ran at 5:16 pace). Its not enough for your body to be capable, you have to be mentally willing. In the past, I think that has been a huge part of why I haven't ran sub-3 in the marathon yet. So, I pushed for the last 2.7 miles and I couldn't be any happier with the result.
Fueling for the run was much better this time around (compared to my other 30 milers). Started off with a bagel and a bottle of Perform about an hour before running. During the run, I had 3 PowerGels, 1 Energy Blend and 1 Harvest Energy Bar. Immediately after the run, I had a TripleThreat protein bar and a bottle of Recovery.
Oh, I finally figured out the best placement for my HR strap too. Wore it for the whole run with no chaffing issues. For those of you new to this blog, I have a minor heart condition so I like to wear a HR strap during long runs and workouts to make sure I'm not pushing more than my heart can handle. Sometimes everything else feels great but my heart doesn't cooperate (see my post about this past fall's Portland Marathon).
Fueling and recovering smartly from Saturday made today's run awesome. A solid 10 mile effort with one PowerGel at mile 4. I slept in a bit this morning, worked on lectures, had lunch with my amazing wife and then went for the run. During the week, all of my runs (minus coaching Wednesday night) are super early in the morning. During Pigtails, I'll be running at all hours so I want to get some more daytime runs in when I can.
Going forward, my weekly plan is: Monday-Rest, Tuesday-Run, Wednesday-Double, Thursday-rest, Friday-Run, Saturday-Long, Sunday-Double. That should let me punch my mileage a bit higher; looking to hit 90+, 100+ and 80+ before tapering after the Tacoma City Marathon.
Non-running wise, the week was pretty good. I was able to get ahead a little in my lectures (mostly from this morning), class went well on Tuesday/Thursday night, taxes got filed and I got to spend time with my wife.
#PBTE
06 April 2014
Week 13: Recovery
Well, this week was tough. Not physically...well, a little physically. But not from running, just lots of work hours. In my post about last week, I said I wanted to crack the 90 mile mark this week and run more easy miles. After attempting to wake up early and run on Monday and Tuesday only to have the snooze button win, I decided my body was telling me something. I needed a recovery week.
For me, a true recovery week means little to no running. I put in a total of 17 miles, all of which came while I was coaching Wednesday night and Saturday morning. I refueled, slept a lot and tried to get into a new routine; a new quarter started so I'm teaching until 10pm two nights a week. As such, the recovery week couldn't have come at a better time.
I feel pretty refreshed, though still a little tired. I'm definitely excited to hit it next week starting with my run tomorrow morning.
Wednesday: 7 miles (7:40)
Saturday: 10 miles (8:29)
Total: 17 miles (8:09)
For me, a true recovery week means little to no running. I put in a total of 17 miles, all of which came while I was coaching Wednesday night and Saturday morning. I refueled, slept a lot and tried to get into a new routine; a new quarter started so I'm teaching until 10pm two nights a week. As such, the recovery week couldn't have come at a better time.
I feel pretty refreshed, though still a little tired. I'm definitely excited to hit it next week starting with my run tomorrow morning.
Wednesday: 7 miles (7:40)
Saturday: 10 miles (8:29)
Total: 17 miles (8:09)
30 March 2014
Week 12
This week was a little better than last, but still not quite right. I've been pretty tired lately. Definitely need to be sleeping more, but I think I need to be running easy more. Next week I'm going to try and get some more easy miles in.
Next week is also the start of the Spring Quarter. I teach Tue/Thur until 10pm. So, I'll be running 6 days a week instead of 5. Rest day will switch to Friday's and I won't double Wednesday's. That way, I don't have to get up super early the day after I'm out late teaching.
I got in my second shipment from PowerBar on Friday. This one was more Recovery Sports Drink (best recovery drink I've had), Energy Blends and two new items to my nutrition arsenal: Harvest Energy Bars and Triple Threat Protein Bars. I used a Harvest Bar on my Saturday LR and felt great! It was the best I've felt during/after a long run at that pace in some time. The Apple Crisp flavor is great! The Triple Threat Bar is great too! I had one after the Saturday LR and Sunday MLR.
Hoping to crack that 90 mile week next week. I think it will all depend on how much energy teaching takes out of me.
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: 10 miles (8:34), hills, 1585ft of elevation gain
Wednesday am: 12.71 miles (8:29), first part solo, last part with Sabrina
Wednesday pm: 5.13 miles (8:40), coaching
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: 6 miles (7:14)
Saturday: 23 miles (7:58), first 12 with Kim, last 11 coaching
Sunday: 13.2 miles (7:16), mostly @ 7:30 pace, dropped it the last ~5 with the last mile sub-6
Total: 70.04 miles (8:00)
#PBTE
Next week is also the start of the Spring Quarter. I teach Tue/Thur until 10pm. So, I'll be running 6 days a week instead of 5. Rest day will switch to Friday's and I won't double Wednesday's. That way, I don't have to get up super early the day after I'm out late teaching.
I got in my second shipment from PowerBar on Friday. This one was more Recovery Sports Drink (best recovery drink I've had), Energy Blends and two new items to my nutrition arsenal: Harvest Energy Bars and Triple Threat Protein Bars. I used a Harvest Bar on my Saturday LR and felt great! It was the best I've felt during/after a long run at that pace in some time. The Apple Crisp flavor is great! The Triple Threat Bar is great too! I had one after the Saturday LR and Sunday MLR.
Hoping to crack that 90 mile week next week. I think it will all depend on how much energy teaching takes out of me.
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: 10 miles (8:34), hills, 1585ft of elevation gain
Wednesday am: 12.71 miles (8:29), first part solo, last part with Sabrina
Wednesday pm: 5.13 miles (8:40), coaching
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: 6 miles (7:14)
Saturday: 23 miles (7:58), first 12 with Kim, last 11 coaching
Sunday: 13.2 miles (7:16), mostly @ 7:30 pace, dropped it the last ~5 with the last mile sub-6
Total: 70.04 miles (8:00)
#PBTE
23 March 2014
Week 11
Ugh. That's how I feel about this week. Nothing spectacular and a failed second LR today. My legs weren't in it and my head wasn't in it. This wasn't exactly the week I was looking for as the week after a cutback but I'm trying to stay positive. I've still got two months before Pigtails and I still got decent mileage in this week. I'm going to take today to focus on my teaching and maybe do a little research. Hopefully I'll be able to mentally reset overnight so I'll be ready to tackle a high mileage week next week.
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 12 miles (7:07)
Wednesday: am- 6 miles (7:12)
Wednesday: pm- 5.17 miles (9:21)
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 10 miles (7:23)
Saturday: 22.22 miles (8:29; fuel: 3 PowerGels, 1 Energy Blend)
Sunday: 8 miles (7:58; fuel: Perform Sports Drink)
Total: 63.39 miles (7:56)
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 12 miles (7:07)
Wednesday: am- 6 miles (7:12)
Wednesday: pm- 5.17 miles (9:21)
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 10 miles (7:23)
Saturday: 22.22 miles (8:29; fuel: 3 PowerGels, 1 Energy Blend)
Sunday: 8 miles (7:58; fuel: Perform Sports Drink)
Total: 63.39 miles (7:56)
18 March 2014
Race Report: St Paddy's Half Marathon
Normally, a race report is a reflection of my performance on the course. Rest assured, that will be here. First, I wanted to reflect on my training group.
This was a tune-up race for our half and full marathon training group which I am lucky enough to coach. Full marathoners competed in the half and half marathoners ran the 10k. The men and women in this picture blew me away. Not just by their performances, but their support for each other both on the course and at the finish! To those who were cheering for me on the out-and-backs, thank you!
This amazing group of athletes have gone from toughing out their first long runs of 8-10 miles to hill repeats in the freezing rain and snow to track work in the dark, pouring rain with just the stadium safety lights to light the way. For those reading this, you're hard work is paying off and I can't wait to see what you do on May 4th (which, fyi, is International Star Wars Day).
Congrats to all the runners from the Tacoma store and a special congrats to those I train out of the Bonney Lake store: Andrea, Jen, Glyn, Jesse, Jarna, Heather, Jeff, Celiane, Rhonda, Sarah, Lane and Stephanie! A big thank you goes out to my partners in crime, Sabrina and Michele. I couldn't do what I do with out your support.
On to the report:
I woke up around 5am. Had a small glass of orange juice, a banana and half a bagel. I left my apartment around 6 to head to the start. After battling with the parking meter which wouldn't take my cash (thanks for using your card and letting me pay you in cash guy in line behind me!), I walked the two blocks to the start. There I got my bib and started setting up the VIP tent for our trainees. I spent the next few hours hanging banners, chatting with trainees and enjoying the atmosphere. About 30 minutes before the start, I drank a bottle of PowerBar Perform Sports Drink. Fifteen minutes prior to start, I had a PowerBar Energy Blend to top off my fuel stores.
After a short warm up jog and some dynamic stretching, I made my way to the starting line. If you've seen me at the start of a race then you know my pre-race ritual includes a short prayer. No matter what my nerves are doing, that short prayer is enough to calm me down and get my head focused. Today, it told me I was going to have a good day.
I went out with a small group, maybe 8-10 runners. The three lead gals and a few guys from the group made a ~40 meter gap by mile two. Something told me to run them down so I did. After bridging the gap, two gals and a guy sped off. I ran with the third place woman until about mile 6.5 (when you start the climb to Pt Defiance). For what ever reason, I like to think it was four years in Montana followed by two years on the trails in Portland, I'm strong on the hills. I pushed through the rollers and started picking off runners.
I blasted back down to the waterfront (you can see which mile was down hill in the splits below) to the 9 mile marker. By then the second place woman was in my sight. At this point, we were weaving around 5k/10k runners. This made things a little tricky, but also made the last few miles go by quicker. One half runner I came up on around mile 10-10.5 and I worked together until the last half mile or so. We caught the second place gal and didn't look back.
The last little uphill just about killed me. Didn't think it was a big hill when we ran down at the start but man, at mile 13 that thing felt like a monster! As I crossed the finish, my store owner (who happens to also be the RD) told me I was 5th overall! I was ecstatic! Though I couldn't really express it. I was exhausted! After resting on the rails for a few minutes, I made my way to our VIP tent. I got a quick calf massage (thank you to Bodhi Wellness), changed into some dry clothes, got some soup and my bottle of PowerBar Recovery Sports Drink.
At this point, more of our athletes started rolling in. I chatted with them, cheered on others as they crossed the finish and gave the medals to my last two half marathon athletes! The whole event was a blast! After the kids' 1k finished up, Sabrina, a few others and myself cleaned up the VIP tent and I headed home to my amazing wife :)
In all it was probably one of the best race experiences I've had, as an athlete and as a coach.
I didn't have my Garmin on auto lap because it never matches up with the markers. I just hit the lap button when I saw that I was passing a mile marker.
1: 6:31
2-3: 13:08 (6:34 avg)
4-6: 18:46 (6:15 avg)
7: 6:16
8: 6:16
9: 5:49
10-11: 12:36 (6:18 avg)
12: 6:11
13: 6:26
0.1: :38
Garmin Time: 1:22:41
Official Time: 1:22:37
Overall: 5th
Men: 4th
Age Group (25-29): 1st
Elevation Chart:
This was a tune-up race for our half and full marathon training group which I am lucky enough to coach. Full marathoners competed in the half and half marathoners ran the 10k. The men and women in this picture blew me away. Not just by their performances, but their support for each other both on the course and at the finish! To those who were cheering for me on the out-and-backs, thank you!
This amazing group of athletes have gone from toughing out their first long runs of 8-10 miles to hill repeats in the freezing rain and snow to track work in the dark, pouring rain with just the stadium safety lights to light the way. For those reading this, you're hard work is paying off and I can't wait to see what you do on May 4th (which, fyi, is International Star Wars Day).
Congrats to all the runners from the Tacoma store and a special congrats to those I train out of the Bonney Lake store: Andrea, Jen, Glyn, Jesse, Jarna, Heather, Jeff, Celiane, Rhonda, Sarah, Lane and Stephanie! A big thank you goes out to my partners in crime, Sabrina and Michele. I couldn't do what I do with out your support.
On to the report:
I woke up around 5am. Had a small glass of orange juice, a banana and half a bagel. I left my apartment around 6 to head to the start. After battling with the parking meter which wouldn't take my cash (thanks for using your card and letting me pay you in cash guy in line behind me!), I walked the two blocks to the start. There I got my bib and started setting up the VIP tent for our trainees. I spent the next few hours hanging banners, chatting with trainees and enjoying the atmosphere. About 30 minutes before the start, I drank a bottle of PowerBar Perform Sports Drink. Fifteen minutes prior to start, I had a PowerBar Energy Blend to top off my fuel stores.
After a short warm up jog and some dynamic stretching, I made my way to the starting line. If you've seen me at the start of a race then you know my pre-race ritual includes a short prayer. No matter what my nerves are doing, that short prayer is enough to calm me down and get my head focused. Today, it told me I was going to have a good day.
I went out with a small group, maybe 8-10 runners. The three lead gals and a few guys from the group made a ~40 meter gap by mile two. Something told me to run them down so I did. After bridging the gap, two gals and a guy sped off. I ran with the third place woman until about mile 6.5 (when you start the climb to Pt Defiance). For what ever reason, I like to think it was four years in Montana followed by two years on the trails in Portland, I'm strong on the hills. I pushed through the rollers and started picking off runners.
I blasted back down to the waterfront (you can see which mile was down hill in the splits below) to the 9 mile marker. By then the second place woman was in my sight. At this point, we were weaving around 5k/10k runners. This made things a little tricky, but also made the last few miles go by quicker. One half runner I came up on around mile 10-10.5 and I worked together until the last half mile or so. We caught the second place gal and didn't look back.
The last little uphill just about killed me. Didn't think it was a big hill when we ran down at the start but man, at mile 13 that thing felt like a monster! As I crossed the finish, my store owner (who happens to also be the RD) told me I was 5th overall! I was ecstatic! Though I couldn't really express it. I was exhausted! After resting on the rails for a few minutes, I made my way to our VIP tent. I got a quick calf massage (thank you to Bodhi Wellness), changed into some dry clothes, got some soup and my bottle of PowerBar Recovery Sports Drink.
At this point, more of our athletes started rolling in. I chatted with them, cheered on others as they crossed the finish and gave the medals to my last two half marathon athletes! The whole event was a blast! After the kids' 1k finished up, Sabrina, a few others and myself cleaned up the VIP tent and I headed home to my amazing wife :)
In all it was probably one of the best race experiences I've had, as an athlete and as a coach.
I didn't have my Garmin on auto lap because it never matches up with the markers. I just hit the lap button when I saw that I was passing a mile marker.
1: 6:31
2-3: 13:08 (6:34 avg)
4-6: 18:46 (6:15 avg)
7: 6:16
8: 6:16
9: 5:49
10-11: 12:36 (6:18 avg)
12: 6:11
13: 6:26
0.1: :38
Garmin Time: 1:22:41
Official Time: 1:22:37
Overall: 5th
Men: 4th
Age Group (25-29): 1st
Elevation Chart:
16 March 2014
Week 10
Major cutback on mileage this week. Really, it just meant no long weekend. Had a solid session of mile repeats on Wednesday and a half marathon PR on Saturday. Race Report for that later today or tomorrow.
Monday- Rest Day
Tuesday- 10 miles (7:45)
Wednsday- am 10 miles including 5x1 mile w/ 400m recovery (6:07, 6:00, 5:56, 5:56, 5:50) (PowerBar Energy Blend before, Perform drink during, Recovery drink after)
Wednesday- pm 6.95 miles (7:58)
Thursday- Rest Day
Friday- 7 miles (8:35)
Saturday- 13.1 miles (6:18, St Paddy's Half) (PowerBar Energy Blend and Perform before, Recovery after)
Sunday- 8 miles (7:42)
Total: 55.05 miles (7:24)
Monday- Rest Day
Tuesday- 10 miles (7:45)
Wednsday- am 10 miles including 5x1 mile w/ 400m recovery (6:07, 6:00, 5:56, 5:56, 5:50) (PowerBar Energy Blend before, Perform drink during, Recovery drink after)
Wednesday- pm 6.95 miles (7:58)
Thursday- Rest Day
Friday- 7 miles (8:35)
Saturday- 13.1 miles (6:18, St Paddy's Half) (PowerBar Energy Blend and Perform before, Recovery after)
Sunday- 8 miles (7:42)
Total: 55.05 miles (7:24)
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