Run The Long Road Coaching

personalized coaching for distance runners

BQ

Now What?

by 24 Comments

Some people have asked me what I plan on doing after Boston.  For many years I just ran marathons and chipped away at my time until I BQ’d.  This is the first time in a long time where I don’t really have anything major planned.  And, I must admit, it feels good!

I do have some plans though.  Please, I’m not that spontaneous and fly-by-the-seat-of-my pants.

Immediate
I’m definitely burned out a bit from racing marathons.  I need a break.  So I’m taking what I love about marathon training – high mileage – and sticking to it.  So how is that a break?  I’m decreasing the intensity of those miles.  No more track work for the foreseeable future.  Tempo and progression runs will be done if I feel like it.  But mostly, I’m going to run whatever pace I feel like on that day.  Sounds a little bit like ultra training, huh?

Sooner or Later
Ultras!  50Ks and 50-milers!  Running long is my favorite aspect of running so I think ultra training would be a good fit (because, let’s be honest, speed is not my forte).  I’m not rushing into it yet and haven’t committed to anything race-wise but there just so happens to be a few ultras bookmarked in my favorites!  We’ll see!

Future
BQ’ing again.  I know I have a 3:3X in me and I would love to get another shot at Boston…and race it.

Racing
Other than Broad Street (popular 10-mile race here in Philly) on May 6, I have nothing planned except for 2 HMs in the Fall.

I’m really excited about this new running “chapter” as cheesy as that sounds.  It’s very different from how I spent the past 10 years running but this change is much needed.  Only good can come from it!

What are your running plans right now?  For the future?

22 Miles, Take 5 (aka Dress Rehearsal)

by 22 Comments

8/26/11
22 miles / 3:07 / 8:30 avg pace
*Since I like to be exact and precise, I need to point out that my average pace is 4 seconds below goal marathon pace!  4 seconds isn’t much but I’ll take it! 

And with that I’m DONE!  It’s taper time!

every time i say taper time, i think of MC hammer

Since I’m on an endorphin-high and thoughts are still going through my head a mile a minute, let’s stick with bullet points for today.

  • My goal was to keep my splits even from the get-go.  Instead of taking a few miles to warm-up and then picking it up during the middle of the run to make up time, I aimed for 8:30 splits.  This helped tremendously.  My energy level was consistent throughout the entire run.  In fact, from mile 15 on all my splits were 8:30 or under, with the exception of my last mile (8:45 – huge hill).
  • It was humid.  Not crazy humid but 93% at the start.
  • I ignored my (negative) thoughts during this run.  Let me explain.  I know at a certain point my brain is going to say “you cannot maintain this pace, you are nuts, you need to slow down, you are tired”.  And most of the time I listen and obey when I still have gas in the tank.  Today I only listened to my body and my Garmin and I was fine.  I didn’t slow down and I wasn’t tired.  I definitely had gas left for 4 more miles.  Don’t get me wrong, BQing is going to be hard but I think I can do it.
  • I passed a guy wearing a CamelBak on a hill.  Even though it was a guy and I passed him on a hill, I didn’t feel very bad ass AT ALL.  To me, the CamelBak wearers are ultramarathoners and he probably thinks my 22 miler is a walk in the park.  Us marathoners only carry handheld water bottles 😉
  • A guy on a bike asked me what time it was.  I’m sure he saw the Garmin on my wrist a mile away and he stupidly thought that the watch could tell time.  It displays 4 things at a time but time isn’t one of them.  I told him my watch “doesn’t do time” and he probably thought I was nuts…or extremely lazy (sidenote:  I do know where the time is on my Garmin but that would involve slowing down and switching screens which I didn’t have time for today).
Almost forgot…here are some post-LR pics!
22, obviously
too tired to hold my head up straight
Have a great weekend everyone!
Question:  Is Hurricane Irene ruining your long run or race plans this weekend?  I was supposed to do a tempo run on Sunday but may have to switch it to Saturday or brave the TM on Sunday (oh the horror)!

Please keep voting throughout the weekend for RTLR for CBS Philly’s Most Valuable Blogger(click here to vote)!

Lehigh Valley Marathon: Week 7 Recap

by 8 Comments

7/19/11
7 miles easy / 1:04 / 9:09 avg pace

Am I really on Week 8 already?! Time is flying by and race day will be here before I know it. I just got the butterflies/nervous feeling typing that! No matter how many marathons you run, the nerves are always there. Especially when you want need to BQ. No pressure though 😉

Week 7 was so-so. I wanted to keep my mileage at 50 but couldn’t due to my left quad soreness (resulting from dehydration on a long run). My quad felt fine by Tuesday but I didn’t want to push it. So no speed work for the week but I did have a good (short) long run and a good tempo run, so I can’t complain.

MON:  8 easy
TUE:  4 easy with a running club (details to come…)
WED:  8 tempo
THU:  rest
FRI:  13 long
SAT:  10 easy
SUN:  rest

A total of 43 miles for the week. I’m planning on 54 miles this week. It’s supposed to 100 degrees on Friday with crazy humidity. This will be a good test for Operation Hydration. I’m going to carry salt packets with me on my long run to see if they help and drink more water than I usually do all week. I’m not afraid of hydrating too much (fun fact: I check the color of my pee all the time). I know my body and if you saw how much I sweat, I think you would agree! On that gross note, I’m outta here!

Looking Ahead

by 20 Comments

So that Boston itch remains UNscratched.  What next?  Funny you should ask…

Two weeks ago Matt put the idea in my head to search around for another marathon prior to September (when Boston 2012 registration opens up).  This way I wouldn’t have so much pressure to BQ at the NJ Marathon (especially since I didn’t train to BQ).  I told you he was my biggest cheerleader and supporter.

After Sunday’s race, I didn’t think I was mentally up for doing this again.  But a changed perspective has me thinking that if I don’t go for it again, I will regret it.

I found a somewhat local marathon on September 11th, the day before Boston 2012 registration opens.  I had to laugh because their FAQs clearly state:

Per the Boston Athletic Association: A qualifying race run on September 11, 2011 can be used to register for the Boston Marathon as soon as September 12, 2011.  The Boston Athletic Association verifies races online through our Results page.

Well, that’s all I need to know.  So I’m in!  Sign me up 🙂

This actually works out well time-wise for me.  I get to take a brief break, go to Ireland, and not worry about training (this makes Matt  very happy).  Then when I get back I will still have a full 15 weeks to train.  And you bet I’ll be training to BQ this time around!