Caffeinated

Ok, here’s the training plan:

A couple of things about how I got here. I wanted more mileage and the 3 20 milers of advanced/intermediate. I also wanted at least one day of speedwork. And, I wanted to reduce the taper time – I felt like I lost all my confidence over the 3 week taper.

After trying 5 days a week over the summer, I decided I couldn’t maintain it and pulled back to 4. My body could handle the running but I wasn’t getting enough sleep/rest. So, I pulled a day out. The result is sort of a Frankenstein monster of a plan.

Will it be enough mileage? Do I need more “light” days? Will the two week taper kill me? Lots of questions – and I’d love to hear any comments or thoughts.

12/4/2007
5:30am
9 miles
1:21

Just what the doctor ordered. Was dreading this a bit – the 16 miler was rough and temps were in the mid-20’s this morning. I needed a run to get the mojo back and was worried this would not be it. But, after a slow, cold start, something clicked and all was well. 9 minute miles felt just fine for today. Good, these blog entries were getting a little depressing!

12/5/2007
6:15am
6x 800m
3:29, 3:40, 3.xx (interrupted), 3:40, 3:29, 3:35

Intervals this morning with the temps in the 30’s. I just started doing speedwork in the summer so this was one of the first cold ones I’ve done. It makes a difference!

I do my intervals on the street. I have a half mile stretch nearby that I use for 400m, 800m, and 1600m. It is about 50 ft higher on one end than the other so my times tend to vary a bit depending on which direction I’m headed.

I also seemed to get an extra helping of the urban experience this morning. CVS delivery truck blocking my 3rd interval, two homeless guys cussing each other out over a blanket, blown over trash cans on the sidewalk, the classic guy-and-dog-block-path-with-leash. Work has been strange too – must be some astrological weirdness going on today.

12/6/2007
5:30am
9 miles
1:21

In the 20’s again this morning. 9 went well. Tried a new route and had the pleasant sensation of the end of the run sneaking up on me.

12/8/2007
11am
12m miles
1:47
50 – 65 degrees

Still felt slow today but finished around race pace. I need to understand my pacing better. There is a good post on this topic on Hal Higdon’s message board that gave me a couple links on McMillan and Pfitzinger’s sites and a book to look up. Research material – excellent!

11/25/2007
6:30am
Easy 4 miler
35:54

First run after the Atlanta Half Marathon. Oy, my thighs are tight! Nice run – I run in the mornings during the week, but this is the first time on a Sunday. Very peaceful, quite chilly. Working on keeping my pace easy and just stretching out.

11/27/2007
6am
7 miles fairly easy
1:02

Did 7 miles in 1:02. Thighs still felt stiff from the race but loosened up after 2 miles or so. Also had a minor twinge in the right hip flexor which cleared up once I was warm. With my pace faster now, will I need to be more careful at the start of runs to avoid injury?

11/28/2007
6:20am
Ugly tempo run
32:00

I don’t get tempo runs. Intervals are fine and hills are ok, but I can’t seem to get the hang of tempo runs. I thought today’s run would be the easiest of my week – a 40 minute tempo run, probably around 5 miles.
Instead, I peaked at about 24 minutes and then felt totally gassed. At 32 minutes I decided to stop and walk the rest. It didn’t feel worth pushing myself. Perhaps I haven’t recovered enough from the half marathon last Thursday? Or maybe I didn’t have enough dinner. I was unusually hungry after the tempo. I still don’t feel like I “get” tempo’s yet…

11/30/2007
5:50am
8m miles easy
1:14

Better today. Felt some fatigue around mile 3 but decided it was in my head and pushed through. Hit the hard hills (miles 4-7) well and felt strong although my speed was slow. Got to learn to be comfortable with slower paced longer runs. I still have a lot to learn about adjusting my pace deliberately, based on the needs of the run or the race. Beautiful morning by the way, mid-30’s, clear, watching the city wake up.

12/2/2007
11:45am
16 mile long run
2:44

Ran 16 today. It had all the signs of a tough one and, lo and behold, that’s how it went! I woke up with a splitting headache – probably due to poor hydration. Hung out with the boy while my wife went to the gym. Considered skipping the run several times but felt like this, as the first long run after the half, was an important one.

Started the run about 12. The headache had abated and I had around 5 glasses of water in me. Overdressed as I’m not used to running in daylight. Good first half, although a little slow. I stopped at the usual Starbucks for a bathroom break and found myself in a full-on code brown situation.

By the time I got back on the road my legs were stiff – and I was just hitting the hills. Rest of the way was a struggle – more GI discomfort, dead legs, lacking energy. I almost bagged it but stuck it out – the final 2 miles were reminiscent of the marathon, just dragging myself along. Finished with 10 minute miles, about as slow as I’ve run anything in a while.

Should I have cut it short? Should I be worried about the slower time? Not exactly a confidence-booster, except winning the mental battle at the end.

Tomorrow is a day off and I’m happy about that.

Atlanta Half Marathon – 2007

How I Got Here

I did my first marathon in March, ING Georgia. I used Novice I and it got me across the finish line in around 5 hours. After pondering what’s next, I decided to break out “Run Fast” and see if I could improve my speed. I patched together a 5k plan, a 10k plan and a ½ plan (Hal’s Intermediate I) with the Atlanta Half as the goal at the end of the group. The 5k and 10k races both had better than expected results but I did not know what to expect going into the half. One important thing I learned is I can’t do 5 days a week – the body can handle the running but I can’t get enough sleep!

Goals

Based on my training, I thought I should be able to break 2 hours for the first time. When I ran a 13 mile training run in 2, I started thinking about breaking 1:50. That was my stretch goal.

Karma

I’ve done this race twice before (2:05 in 2002; 2:15 in 2005). It’s always been in the 30’s and clear as a bell – just a great race.This year, I was talking it up to people – great weather, great race, blah blah. So, of course it rained – and it was in the 60’s.

The Race

Good race morning – food, bodily functions, etc. Prep felt much easier after having done a marathon.

No rain at the start, although I had my plastic bag rain coat ready. Just as the gun went off, the rain started. By the end of the first three miles I was good and soaked, including wet socks, but then it eased off.

It only took about a mile to get out of the pack. I felt good and I was trying to focus on keeping my cadence high and “feeling” my pace. Mile markers had me feeling on track, although I overcorrected a little after the first mile.

Miles 1 – 5: 41:48 8:21 avg

The second 5 were tougher. I took a gel/potty break at 7 that maybe took a minute but I felt a little off afterwards. This also is where the uphills started. I kept my pace but it felt more like work!

Miles 6 – 10: 44:04 8:48 avg

The final 5k we the rain kicked back up and we started getting gusts of wind. I focused on pushing myself – I tend to leave a little gas in the tank and I didn’t want to do that today. The highest point on the course and a couple rough hills are in the final 3.1 but I figured now is the time to push it out.

Miles 11 – 13.1: 24:59 8:03 avg

Final time: 1:50:48(chip)

I was disappointed for a second (at not breaking 1:50) and then realized it was a PR, it was less than ideal conditions and, more importantly, I felt like I’d pushed myself hard, which was the goal.

Next up

Tybee Island Marathon on February2. Goal is to break 4 and McMillan says I can do it, so I’ve got no excuses,right?

Thanks to Balega for making great socks – no blisters. Hal Higdon, thanks for the training plans and your great message boards for support and advice!