Today was a test of my running shape. This summer, I had a lot of time to run but that ends tomorrow as I start a new job. I decided not to do a traditional taper for the 20 Miler yet try to hold marathon pace for the race. I still ran 100 miles this week by front-loading my mile: Monday and Wednesday I went over 20 miles, Tuesday I ran 12 easy with Shawn, Thursday Shawn and I ran our pre-race workout (5x4 minutes with a 1 minute standing rest), Friday was an easy run with Miles to daycare and ran myself home, and 2 miles easy to the playground yesterday. Last week, I ran 24 miles on Thursday (did a double and 10 of those miles were pushing Miles in my Bob's Ironman stroller - what a phenomenal stroller by the way! I just upgraded to the new Bob's Blaze and cannot wait to take Miles out for a run) and Friday,Shawn and I did 21 miles with the middle 10 at marathon pace. Since I could handle that, I thought I would do it again for the race this morning. Some in our group of friends predicted that I would suffer, which was fair. That partly motivated me to prove them wrong.
The weather this morning was almost perfect for race day. The temperature started in the 50s and hit the 60s. It was overcast. The only complaint was it was humid. The race started at Carderock and ran into the city. The race director announced two diversions due to construction on the C&O Canal Trail: a detour over the canal before the 2 mile marker and a detour into the canal. Both would slow us down and were narrow, so he advised to adjust accordingly. Plus there was mud and standing water. I started the race slow and caught up to a pack of runners in a couple of miles, including Shawn. The five of us stayed pretty tight through the next 10-12 miles. There was a lot of chatting, swapping stories, sharing race results, and talk of our upcoming fall marathons. The camaraderie kept my spirits high and any negative thoughts out of my mind. There is something encouraging about running with a pack.
As we approached the turnaround near the Key Bridge, a half marathon was beginning in waves. The path only accommodates maybe three runners abreast so there was a traffic jam where the leaders of our race were leaving Georgetown while we were approaching the turnaround and that half marathon was sandwiched in-between. We did our best to announce as we were passing. Only one runner made a snide comment - she said that she was passing too. I'm surprised that the Park Services granted both races permits to run into each other at the same time.
On the run back, the group started to break apart. I rarely raced with my phone, but I did today as a precaution. One runner offered to hold it and of course he was the one that took off. I tried to stay near him, but he ended up pulling away. I stayed with one of the runners for most of the race. He was 29 years old and raced a 5K in just over 17 minutes yesterday, good for 3rd place. I thought he would eventually pull ahead. With a mile to go, he did start to put space between us, but then I decided to try to match and with half a mile left I began my kick, passing him, and he chose not to match. Three bicycles then overtook me and one said to try to keep up with her until the finish. I did try that which probably helped me cross the finish line with a time of 2:14:16 (6:43 pace). I've never raced that distance, so it is a personal record, but more importantly, I proved that I am in really solid shape and peaking at the right time for New York City.
I am very pleased with my result at the National Capital 20-miler = 15th place out of 180; 15th male out of 84; 4th masters (over 40); 3rd place age group 40-49 good for a $5 Starbucks gift card that goes to my wife as I hate coffee. It was a really strong field. Last year's master's winner ran a 7 minute pace; this year's ran a 6:12. Shawn finished a minute behind me - we both ran very strong and are well-positioned for New York City Marathon. The few muddy patches and puddles may have slowed us, but I doubt by much. First half 1:07:58 (6:48 pace); second half 1:06:19 (6:38 pace); negative split by 1:39. Again, I am very happy with my result and confident in my training. Plus I feel a sense of accomplishment that I ran 100 miles this week and still put up such a strong race.
Next race: The New York City Marathon on November 4! Time to recover and then taper...
P.S. Some of you may know my brother, Matthew, got a bib for Boston to raise money for the Dreamfar High School Marathon. They challenge high school students to reach their full potential—physically, socially, emotionally, and academically—through a mentor-supported marathon-training program. If you can, please support my brother's cause with a small donation.
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Saturday, September 29, 2018
My Brother Got a Bib for Boston!
My younger brother, Matthew, received a bib for Boston! He has finished two marathons and is tapering for his third in a few weeks. Here is his Facebook announcement:
"Today I am pleased to share with the world that I will be running the 123rd Boston Marathon in 2019! I was recently accepted through the Boston Marathon's charity program, specifically on the Dreamfar High School Marathon (DHSM) Team.
"To donate to my fundraising page and learn more about DHSM, click this link:
"To say that I am excited is an understatement. As many of you know, my older brother Kenny is an avid runner and has ran the Boston Marathon six times. To be able to run the same prestigious race as him while also raising funds for a very worthy charity makes me feel very humbled, excited, and many other emotions I'm still processing as I write this.
"One of my main reasons for supporting this charity is that DHSM is the only high school marathon program in New England and welcomes students of all abilities and backgrounds. Over the years they have served students struggling due to gender identity issues; autism, learning disabilities, and social phobias; severe depression; homelessness, as well as the overwhelming stress to achieve success in the classroom. DHSM offers students a judgment-free, non-competitive environment in which they can test their physical, social, and emotional limits. DHSM stresses completion not competition encouraging all students to do their personal best.
"There will be a lot of work ahead, both mentally, and physically, and this will be the first time I have ever fundraised for a race or on this scale.
"I will share much more about my training, fundraising and special events to reach my goal, but in the meantime, please consider supporting my effort by donating to my individual fundraising page and/or sharing with any family/friends who may be interested in supporting the cause as well.
"Thank you family and friends for your support, and see you at Boston in 2019! #Ames2RunBoston"
Below is an excerpt of his racing resume beginning with the marathons:
• Earth Rock Run, 26.2M, 4/27/14, 04:07:55
• Bay State Marathon, 26.2 Miles, 10/19/14, 04:05:05
• Bay State Marathon, 26.2 Miles, 10/21/18, TBD
• Black Cat 10M and 20M, 20M, 3/1/14, 02:45:40
• Green Stride Newburyport Half Marathon, 13.1M, 10/20/13, 01:42:49
• Happy Holidays Half Merrython, 13.1M, 12/8/13, 01:41:38
• Parker River Half Marathon, 13.1M, 7/8/18, 02:11:16
• Yankee Homecoming 10M, 7/30/13, 01:30:53
• Bourque Family Foundation 7.7K, 7.7K, 6/9/18, 00:50:02
"Today I am pleased to share with the world that I will be running the 123rd Boston Marathon in 2019! I was recently accepted through the Boston Marathon's charity program, specifically on the Dreamfar High School Marathon (DHSM) Team.
"To donate to my fundraising page and learn more about DHSM, click this link:
"To say that I am excited is an understatement. As many of you know, my older brother Kenny is an avid runner and has ran the Boston Marathon six times. To be able to run the same prestigious race as him while also raising funds for a very worthy charity makes me feel very humbled, excited, and many other emotions I'm still processing as I write this.
"One of my main reasons for supporting this charity is that DHSM is the only high school marathon program in New England and welcomes students of all abilities and backgrounds. Over the years they have served students struggling due to gender identity issues; autism, learning disabilities, and social phobias; severe depression; homelessness, as well as the overwhelming stress to achieve success in the classroom. DHSM offers students a judgment-free, non-competitive environment in which they can test their physical, social, and emotional limits. DHSM stresses completion not competition encouraging all students to do their personal best.
"There will be a lot of work ahead, both mentally, and physically, and this will be the first time I have ever fundraised for a race or on this scale.
"I will share much more about my training, fundraising and special events to reach my goal, but in the meantime, please consider supporting my effort by donating to my individual fundraising page and/or sharing with any family/friends who may be interested in supporting the cause as well.
"Thank you family and friends for your support, and see you at Boston in 2019! #Ames2RunBoston"
Below is an excerpt of his racing resume beginning with the marathons:
• Earth Rock Run, 26.2M, 4/27/14, 04:07:55
• Bay State Marathon, 26.2 Miles, 10/19/14, 04:05:05
• Bay State Marathon, 26.2 Miles, 10/21/18, TBD
• Black Cat 10M and 20M, 20M, 3/1/14, 02:45:40
• Green Stride Newburyport Half Marathon, 13.1M, 10/20/13, 01:42:49
• Happy Holidays Half Merrython, 13.1M, 12/8/13, 01:41:38
• Parker River Half Marathon, 13.1M, 7/8/18, 02:11:16
• Yankee Homecoming 10M, 7/30/13, 01:30:53
• Bourque Family Foundation 7.7K, 7.7K, 6/9/18, 00:50:02
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Summer 2018 Training Recap
On Sunday, I'm registered to run the DC Road Runners Club 20 Miler. The race starts in Carderock and runs towards Georgetown and then back to the start. I've run on the C&O Canal both for training and races and feel pretty comfortable on the path and surface. I have never raced this distance, but it is a good tune up for the New York City Marathon on November 4. Plus it has a solid field of fast runners. If I can place top 3 in the masters division, I'll be pleased.
What makes this race different is that I am trying out a theory. I want to test to see if I can break 100 miles in a training week once more this summer while still giving a solid effort at the race. Depending upon the weather, I feel I am in 2:15-2:20 shape. This summer, I've registered some seriously high mileage weeks. I have had the time to up my mileage and train my body accordingly. Over the last 15 weeks, I have run over 80 miles 13 times, over 90 miles 10 times, and over 100 miles 5 times. I'm front-loading the miles as I ran 25 total miles Monday, 12 this morning, and plan to run 20 tomorrow, 8-10 Thursday with a pre race tune-up of 5 repeats of 4 minutes at slightly faster than race pace, 10 Friday, and 5-6 stroller miles on Saturday (just enough to get Miles to and from soccer practice). Including the race and warm up on Sunday, that should top 100 miles if my math is correct.
My training partner might think I am nuts. He is capping his mileage and tapering "properly." But I think I can do it due to the fact that I have run a lot of miles this summer - in fact, many of the long mileage days have been followed by speed work. In fact, last Thursday I put down 24 miles total (10 were stroller miles and it was a double) and Friday we ran 21 total miles with the middle 10 at marathon race pace around 6:50 (the last three miles I ran especially well and felt like I either picked up the pace or he slowed). We are both running New York City so this will be an excellent gage to see where we are. If I bonk, it will be okay since my goal is to run strong on November 4.
I know that this summer I have had a good training cycle. Through the heat, humidity, and rain, I think my body has responded well. A lot of stroller miles have proven to add to my endurance. I ran my son into daycare and home on quite a few days and ran him to and from the Zoo multiple times. Those days were typically doubles. I didn't abandon speed training in all these miles. I aimed to go fast twice a week: usually one tempo and one fartlek. The exception occurred near around my track mile attempt and my vacation. Some of my key workouts have included the mile training laps, fartlek, a fast finish tempo in St. Michaels, and a marathon pace workout with the middle ten miles at 6:50 pace on the C&O Canal.
My schedule changes next week as I start a new job and will have to figure out my new routine. This week is likely my last chance to break 100 miles in a week for the rest of the year and maybe foreseeable future. I wanted to see if I could do it. If I can, I'll have run over 100 miles a week 8 times. I'm on track to break 4000 miles for the year (last year I cracked 3600 and that was my personal record). I'm averaging 11.25 miles a day. I know this isn't sustainable, but it has been a neat experiment. Aside from the regular muscle soreness and a ganglion cyst on top of my left foot (which is not painful but I am treating), I've felt pretty good.
A new chapter of my life starts on Monday. Reflecting on this high mileage summer, I'm glad I was able to do it, but I am looking forward to a new routine and new challenges. And, I am hopeful that I can race strong in New York!
What makes this race different is that I am trying out a theory. I want to test to see if I can break 100 miles in a training week once more this summer while still giving a solid effort at the race. Depending upon the weather, I feel I am in 2:15-2:20 shape. This summer, I've registered some seriously high mileage weeks. I have had the time to up my mileage and train my body accordingly. Over the last 15 weeks, I have run over 80 miles 13 times, over 90 miles 10 times, and over 100 miles 5 times. I'm front-loading the miles as I ran 25 total miles Monday, 12 this morning, and plan to run 20 tomorrow, 8-10 Thursday with a pre race tune-up of 5 repeats of 4 minutes at slightly faster than race pace, 10 Friday, and 5-6 stroller miles on Saturday (just enough to get Miles to and from soccer practice). Including the race and warm up on Sunday, that should top 100 miles if my math is correct.
My training partner might think I am nuts. He is capping his mileage and tapering "properly." But I think I can do it due to the fact that I have run a lot of miles this summer - in fact, many of the long mileage days have been followed by speed work. In fact, last Thursday I put down 24 miles total (10 were stroller miles and it was a double) and Friday we ran 21 total miles with the middle 10 at marathon race pace around 6:50 (the last three miles I ran especially well and felt like I either picked up the pace or he slowed). We are both running New York City so this will be an excellent gage to see where we are. If I bonk, it will be okay since my goal is to run strong on November 4.
I know that this summer I have had a good training cycle. Through the heat, humidity, and rain, I think my body has responded well. A lot of stroller miles have proven to add to my endurance. I ran my son into daycare and home on quite a few days and ran him to and from the Zoo multiple times. Those days were typically doubles. I didn't abandon speed training in all these miles. I aimed to go fast twice a week: usually one tempo and one fartlek. The exception occurred near around my track mile attempt and my vacation. Some of my key workouts have included the mile training laps, fartlek, a fast finish tempo in St. Michaels, and a marathon pace workout with the middle ten miles at 6:50 pace on the C&O Canal.
My schedule changes next week as I start a new job and will have to figure out my new routine. This week is likely my last chance to break 100 miles in a week for the rest of the year and maybe foreseeable future. I wanted to see if I could do it. If I can, I'll have run over 100 miles a week 8 times. I'm on track to break 4000 miles for the year (last year I cracked 3600 and that was my personal record). I'm averaging 11.25 miles a day. I know this isn't sustainable, but it has been a neat experiment. Aside from the regular muscle soreness and a ganglion cyst on top of my left foot (which is not painful but I am treating), I've felt pretty good.
A new chapter of my life starts on Monday. Reflecting on this high mileage summer, I'm glad I was able to do it, but I am looking forward to a new routine and new challenges. And, I am hopeful that I can race strong in New York!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
