Carlsbad Marathon!

3:35:07 - 1/17/16

Well didn't go exactly as planned - did not need that last 10k.  Felt good until around 14-15ish.  Held on until 19 and then the wheels came off.  Walked for a minute around 22 and 24 - got some side stitches and some leg cramps and oh yeah I was TIRED AS SHIT.

The first half was a blur - went pretty quickly.  Second half was a blur but in a much more uncomfortable way.

My friend ran with me the second half - feel sorry that I totally fell apart on him but he basically dragged me to the finish line so THANKS MIKE!

I had a gu at 7, 14, and 21.  7 was no caffeine, 14 was 20mg, and 21 was 35mg caffeine.  Have no idea if the caffeine did anything or not.  Never practiced with caffeine gus during training.  Just drank water - had pretty much a swig of water every mile the second half.

My calf was totally twitching the last mile couple miles or so and at 26.1, turning the corner to the finish line, it totally cramped and I hopped through the finish line!  The medical staff were all over me but I was able to walk it off - was afraid to sit down as I would never get back up.

I was (and am still) SO WRECKED and can barely move.  Big Props to my wife for totally dealing with me.  Finally about 2 hours after the race I was able to take a shower - walking very slowly and stiffly.

Funny thing I was -really- happy with my pacing the first half - maybe starting going too fast (mile 2 was 7:40) too quickly but I really thought my pacing was perfect - I just couldn't keep it up the entire race so turns out 7:40 was a little too aggressive :)  Funny because when I ran 19 miles at 8:17 my first thought was 'this is a good marathon pace.

Wonder if I had just keep it at 8:00mm I could have gone 3:30 - next time?

I was never really totally out of breath - although I got close several times - it was my legs that were dead.

All in all am very proud of 3:35 - what would I have done differently?  Lots! (well some):

• More longer runs - ya I know Hansons is all about only going 16 but I died after 18 so maybe I needed more long runs
• Slow runs probably should have been slower - maybe that's why I died at 19?
• Never really figured out a marathon pace during training.  Should have nailed that down at the beginning - even if it was something slower than I would have liked and just nailed that.
• Strength work?  Perhaps having some strength work (vs. none) things would have worked out  better?

Dunno if there will be another marathon in my future - wife certainly doesn't want there to be another one - it took a lot out of both of our lives - all of the training and then dealing with me after the race.

Half marathons are so much more reasonable!

Carlsbad Marathon Week 14

Welp this is IT!  Marathon in 6 days arrahahahghghghahahag!  Must take it as easy as possible this week.

REST - 1/11/16

Had 6 miles on the schedule today - not happening.  Feel like I want to rest after the 8+8 this past weekend.  May go for an easy 5 or 6 tomorrow.

6 easy - 1/12/16

Really challenged myself to run this easy around 9:00mm and did it!  Hope to do the same tomorrow.  Wish all of my easy runs were this easy...

6 easy - 1/13/16

Wanted to get 1 mile in at around MP - check.  Think this is the last run until the marathon.  Scared shitless.

REST - 1/14/16

It's shut down - had a 30 minute massage which I've never had so hoping that'll do something spectacular - felt good.  Glad I had it today so I have a couple days to recover from that!  Oof getting close.

REST - 1/15/16

Friday - 2 days to go - had a nice walk this morning with the wifey.  Right knee feels a bit odd but probably because mentally I'm a basket case.  Think I'm going through the 6 stages of grief or something.  Planning on keeping the feet up as much as possible.

REST - 1/16/16

Thought about going for a short run but as I didn't have time in the morning I just bagged it.  Went to the expo and got my bib and talked to the 3:25 pacer - there's actually two of them - one will take over at 13.1.  Anyway the starter's plan is straight 7:40 miles all the way though - slowing down a bit up the hills and speeding up down the hills.  While I'd like to average 7:40 no way my first mile is going to be 7:40 so I guess (hope) I'll catch up to him eventually.

Anyway that was a little disheartening to hear how fast the 3:25 guy was going to go - he wants to 'bank' time which is exactly what I do not want to do so I guess I'm not starting off with that pace group!

Just need to make it to 13.1 in relatively decent shape where I meet my friend who is going to run the second half with me and try to keep me at 7:40 from that point on.  Sure, why not???

Feel pretty good - eating potatoes and trying to take it easy.  Wish me luck!

Carlsbad Marathon Week 13

Ahh lucky number 13 - the last 'real' week of training - cannot BELIEVE it.  Wow.

8 easy - 1/4/2016

Really REALLY wanted to go slowly - like sane slowly - like between 9:00-9:30mm pace but could not make that happen.  So that's disappointing.  Felt pretty good overall though.

6 strength - 1/5/2016

Last speed workout!!  Was supposed to be 6x1 with 400m RI but turned it into almost 6.5 miles 'fast'.  After last weeks debacle felt good just to get out and run fast for 45 minutes.  Plus was about to start dumping rain so needed to get this done before that.

Felt good, tried to keep it as relaxed as possible.  Wanted to run a bit slower but this felt ok.  Was pushing it but not too much.  Plus REST DAY tomorrow!  Only one more 'big' run on Thursday and then it's time to relax and let the magic of rest take over - I hope.

REST - 1/6/2016

It's dumping cats & dogs here - great day for a rest day.  But really, what day wouldn't be a great rest day?  Tomorrow looks pretty dicey for my final 10 tempo with the rain dumping and all.  Going to be interesting.

10 tempo - 1/7/2016

Well for good or bad, hook or crook, it's done.  Averaged just under 7:20mm for the 10 miles with a warm up and cool down mile.  It was too fast, gawd my pacing sucks.  Pacing was pretty good the first half but sort of just unleashed it the second half of the run.  Maybe just wanted to get through it as THIS WAS IT.  

This run went better than last week's which really sucked the life out of me - for this one I was absolutely more in control and felt myself pushing it towards the end - looking forward to going slower 'for real' race - and the only way that will happen will be to stay with a pace group.

It's now time to taper - 10 days until LIFT OFF at Carlsbad.  Still looking at 7:40mm for the marathon but since I pretty much have never run at that pace it'll be interesting.  However I don't really plan running at that pace - planning on starting slower and speeding up towards the end but really who the hell knows.  For now, REST and RECOVER and stay HEALTHY for next Sunday.

REST - 1/8/16

Ha!  This was supposed to be 7 easy but I BLEW IT OFF!!  Yeah ya heard me!  Right knee a bit sore, but sure I could have done this but I'm taking the day off baby!!!!  Yeah!!!  Woo!!!!  Take that Marathon Training Plan!

Early weather predictions for Marathon day look pretty good - 20% chance of rain and 10-15mph wind - well ok not that great but still 9 days out...

8 comfortable - 1/9/16

Wanted to run a bit on the course but am getting pretty sick of it so went a slightly different path.  And on that path I got 'pulled over' by a copy for jaywalking while I was running!  Very dumb on my part as I ran against a light literally right in front of the cop.  He took my info and called it in but thankfully did not give me a ticket.  I did find out he is working the marathon next weekend so that was fun :|

Anyway made an otherwise uneventful run very eventful!  Got a little confused when I got pulled over so the mile split on mile 2 is goofy but no big - fun run!

8 comfortable - 1/10/16

Wanted to run on trails to reduce knee pounding - trails were nice and soft and felt good even if I went too fast.  ONE WEEK TO GO.  Now need to keep the feet up and REST.

RECAP and UPCOMING

About 42 miles this week - winding it down and taking it easy.  Am now on a strict no booze minimal sugar nothing stupid week.  Can I make it through the week with those restrictions?  

Marathon is LOOMING and I have no idea if I'm ready or what a realistic pace may be.

I've done all of the workouts so in theory I'm ready right?

Need rest and need to be ready to CRUSH it next Sunday!

Carlsbad Marathon Week 12

6 easy - 12/28/15

With a sore right knee definitely wanted to take this run as easy as possible.  Maybe got a touch fast the last mile but overall was pretty good.  Nice and cool out.

But the big story is the sore knee - hoping it will heal up quickly for a fast 6 tomorrow followed by a rest day.

4x1.5 strength - 12/29/15 

Well if was definitely way overdue: a bad workout.  This was supposed to be 4x1.5 at ten seconds faster than marathon pace w/800m recovery.  I had thoughts of course of just running the 6 miles at around 7:20mm straight out.  That did not happen.

I meant to run at lunch at work BUT I had a meeting run long so I couldn't do that.  So I ate lunch and then waited an hour and then went.  I very rarely run at 2:30 in the afternoon after a good-sized lunch and now I know why.

After a mile warm up I kicked it into gear - unfortunately the first 2 miles or so from that point on were uphill and I almost immediately had incredible side-stitches - like I've never had before during this training that's for sure.  Very painful, could hardly breath kind of side-stitches.  I tried to stretch it out and move around but no success.

So after 1.5 painful miles I walked for 2 minutes hoping they would go away.  It did get very slightly better but not by much.  I trundled off on the next 1.5 mile leg and was once again hurting pretty bad.  Somehow I was able to finish the second interval and just started walking again for about 2 minutes. 

I knew the last 2 would be flat-to-downhill and the third one was barely manageable.

After another 2 minute walk I set out on the last interval - it was going pretty good (lots of downhill) until the last half mile - which was mostly uphill - which came extremely close to killing me.

The side-stitches hurt really bad it was ridiculous.  The last 2 tenths were hellacious but I did get it done.

I walked back the remaining half mile or so the office.  I am #proud I did manage to get this done but it was horrific and not what I needed getting close to the end of training.  Of course I ended up going too fast for all 4 intervals anyway because I"m dumb.  They went something like 7:06, 7:11, 7:15, 7:04 for the 4 1.5 intervals.  Should have been 7:20-7:30.

Right knee is still a bit sore but I think it's getting better.

I NEED that rest day tomorrow like you cannot believe.  Ideally I wouldn't even get out of bed but that's not in the cards :)

Oh 10 mile tempo on Thursday is sounding REAL nice, yeah right.

REST - 12/30/15

OMG REST IS AWESOME

10 tempo - 12/31/15

This was harder than it should have been.  On the plus side got the run the first 6 miles of the marathon and then turned around and ran the last 6 miles of the marathon for 12 miles (1 warm up, 1 cool down).  On the negative side it was too fast by at least 10s/mile - averaged 7:25 for the 10 miles which felt too fast and towards the end - last couple miles or so - I felt it.  Was no where near as comfortable as the 10 tempo last week.

Other than all of that am very happy to have this behind me and glad I only have 6 easy after New Years Eve tonight :)

Right knee felt fine during the run but felt a bit sore immediately afterwards.  I cannot believe the marathon is coming up - only 2 hard runs left (6 fast Tuesday an 10 tempo next Thursday).  That is pretty scary - can't I just keep training instead?

Anyway this run really reinforced my idea that 7:40mm is hopefully my marathon pace - NOT 7:25.  At the 6 mile turnaround point - which was heading up the one big hill in the marathon I don't think I could have made it up the hill at that pace.

Overall great last run of the month + year - going out with a bang I guess!

6 easy - 1/1/16

Happy New Year!!!  Wanted/needed to take this run easy after last night's shenanigans - you'll note I didn't actually start this run until 11:15am - so had some recovery time from too much food & drink ringing in 2016.  This was indeed the recovery of all recovery runs.

10 long - 1/2/2016

Not sure where this came from but went very well.  Felt strong and comfortable at a good pace with lots of elevation.  Maybe it's all the sleep as this run didn't start until 9:30am so lots of lying in bed for a nice change.  Going to be sad when I have to start getting up early again...

10 long - 1/3/2016

A 9am start so slowly getting up earlier :).  This was all on the Carlsbad marathon course except for a change I ran down the hill first and finished coming back up it.  What was interesting was the 'coming back up it part' around mile 6 is exactly where in the actual marathon we start running up the hill - that's about as 'interesting' as things get around here I guess!

As the run progressed I sped up even though I was going UP the hill instead of down it - oh well.  Regardless was happy to have this run (and this week) done and in the books.

RECAP and next week

A touch over 50 miles for the week - considering most of this week was during vacation time things overall went well.

But HOLY CRAP now within 2 week of the marathon - can't I just keep training?  That part seems to be going pretty well and the marathon is scary.

Next week is the last of actual 'training' and even then it's pretty thin.  8 miles on Monday - which I need to take VERY easy after the 2 ten miles this past weekend went too fast.  The last bit of speed work on Tuesday and the Biggie:  the final 10 tempo on Thursday and then it really slows down for the taper.

Holy crap holy crap holy crap.