21 Weeks to a BQ

10.08.12 -

3 miles recovery...A nice and easy three miles on a very windy evening. The 25 mile an hour winds definitely helped me keep the pace slow. I ran 3.11 miles at an 8:10 pace. Bring on the rest of the week!!

10.09.12 -

9 miles...9 miles the hard way tonight. Mother nature didn't cooperate with me today, as it was rainy and 45 degrees this afternoon when I wanted to get my run in. So...I did what I dread the most. I headed in doors and ran on a treadmill!! But, to make it easier on me, I split the 9 into 4.5 on the dreadmill and 4.5 on the indoor track. If it was earlier in my training cycle, I would have definitely gone out and ran in the rain. At this point, though, I can't risk getting sick and ruining my last big week before taper. I ran the first 4.5 on the treadmill at a 7:09 pace (obviously that is treadmill pace). Then I ran the second 4.5 at a 7:19 pace. I creatively got the 9 miles in and now can look forward to tomorrow's run.

10.10.12 -

13 miles...13 miles tonight. My last double digit mid-week run of this cycle. It was cold and windy as I set out this afternoon. I ended up leaving work 30 minutes early in hopes of being able to get this run in with the sun still up. The run itself was free and easy, as I didn't want to overexert myself. I ended up completing 13.37 miles at a 7:35 pace. Only 3 1/2 weeks left in the training cycle.

I like the part about not risking getting sick even though yuo are not yet in taper. I told my daughter this weekend I can't get sick since my marathon is six weeks out.

You find it easier to bump up the pace on treadmill? Lucky! Anything faster than 8:00-7:30 range on the treadmill destroys me. I guess I'm not very consistent with my pace normally.

Anyway, training's still looking great!

Mike MacLellan wrote:You find it easier to bump up the pace on treadmill? Lucky! Anything faster than 8:00-7:30 range on the treadmill destroys me. I guess I'm not very consistent with my pace normally.

Anyway, training's still looking great!

Yeah, the treadmill always seems easier for me, from a pace standpoint...

JohnP wrote:I like the part about not risking getting sick even though yuo are not yet in taper. I told my daughter this weekend I can't get sick since my marathon is six weeks out.

Deja vu tonight John...same situation as Tuesday.

10.11.12 -

9 miles...A carbon copy of Tuesday night, as mother nature decided to rain on my training run. The temps were also in the upper 40s, again Soooo back to the gym I go. 4.5 miles on the dreadmill and 4.5 miles on the track. My legs were a little tired tonight and the paces seem to show that. Treadmill pace 7:15 and track pace at 7:26. Off day tomorrow, before hitting up a 34 mile weekend...

10.12.12 -

Scheduled off day... Off day, as I prepare for a 34 mile weekend. It is supposed to be a wet one tomorrow. So no way of getting around running in the rain. I am doing 11 tomorrow morning, followed by the Color Me Rad 5k to round out my 14 miles.

10.13.12 -

14 miles...first off, was the site down yesterday? I couldn't get in at all...Anyways, my 14 miles were done the creative way yesterday. First off I ran 11 miles early in the morning. I got lucky with this run, as the forecast was for ran all day. I somehow got a two hour window where the rain did not fall and I was able to get the 11 in dry. I completed an easy 11.22 miles at a 7:38. I wanted to keep one easy as I knew I had to run 20 today.

The last 3 miles of the 14 miles was done in the Color Me Rad 5k. If you are not familiar with this run, basically everyone dresses in white and people throw colored corn startch at you. By the end of the 3.1 miles you look like a rainbow threw up on you. (see my before and after shots below) It was an alright run and is not timed. It was cold and rainy, so that didn't help much... I ran with a couple of other non-runners, so I know the pace was somewhere around 10 minute miles. No big deal...got the miles in...on to the last 20!!!



Before





After

Well, you see something new every day! That was pretty cool, great pictures too.

10.14.12 -

20 miles...Finally it is here. My last 20 miler of the training cycle to end the last big week of the cycle. The forecast called for rain all day and it did not fail. The catch was that it was warmer this morning and supposed to get progressively colder as the day goes on. So, I was out at daybreak this morning to a comfortable 62 degree temp with some light showers. I wanted to keep the first half very easy to make sure that I could just get through the run. Made it to the halfway point with an average pace of 8:04. On the run back home I started to pick up the pace with my fastest miles coming at 15, 16, and 17 (7:38, 7:36, 7:39). At mile 15 the heavens opened up and it decided to downpour on me for the final 5 miles. I could start to feel fatigue settle in at mile 20, but I pushed through to the end and finished 20.11 miles at a 7:54 pace. My average HR sat at 134 overall. I am glad to have it over, but I am also glad that I made it through unscathed. My final tough week finished at a hair over 70 miles...Now comes the most fun part (not)...Taper!!!

Hang in there with taper. Trust your training.You're going to do great. When does race-day weather checking begin?

Your friend became a woman on course? Sweet! What was your time?

Mike MacLellan wrote:Your friend became a woman on course? Sweet! What was your time?

It was an untimed event and I didn't wear a watch. I just jogged it with a couple of my non-running friends. So, I am gussing somewhere around 9:00 - 10:00 minute pace...I could have ran it faster running backwards, but it was more for fun than anything else.

10.15.12 -

Cross training - First day of taper starts with some weight training and cross training. Legs feel good after yesterday's 20 miler

10.16.12 -

5 miles...First run of taper and just because I am starting to cut my mileage, it doesn't mean that I am going to cut intensity. In fact, I am going to use my taper to work on my speed. This means faster paces I completed 5.12 miles tonight at a 7:17 pace.

10.17.12 -

8 miles...Honestly, it has rained more here in the last two weeks than it has all summer. Once again, I want to avoid cold and wet running as much as possible leading up to my race, so it was back to the gym. Dreadmill for 4 miles and track for another 4. I think that this is the most that I have ran on a treadmill ever. My 4 miles on the treadmill were ran at a 7:08 pace and the 4 miles on the track were ran at a 7:02 pace. Once again, shorter mileage but higher intensity...

10.18.12 -

6 miles...Another craptacular day in Madison. Forties and rain has me back in the guy once again. I split my run up again 3 miles on the dreadmill and 3 on the track. Dreamill pace at 7:17 and track pace at 7:05. Legs are still feeling great as I ran my midweek runs faster than normal. Tomorrow I have the day off, but this weekend I have some mid-distance runs as my training starts winding down.

I'd take 40's & rain over 90's & sun any day.

10.19.12 -

Time to catch up from the weekend that was...

Friday was a scheduled off day. I used the time to reflect on my training cycle and my upcoming goal.

10.20.12 -

4 miles @ MP...4 quick miles in the morning at MP (7:00). I breezed through them at a relatively steady 6:58. Last double digit run tomorrow...

10.21.12 -

12 miles...My last double digit run of the training cycle. I st out at a nice comfortable pace and then at the halfway mark I picked up the pace and ran the last half back at MP. It was a great run as the back portion of my out and back is a gradual uphill with a couple of short inclines, which makes for a little bit of a challenge. I rocked the second half of the run and finished a total of 12.34 miles at an overll pace of 7:14. The second half was at a 6:57 pace. Next week the miles continue trimming down some more, as I get deeper into my taper. I still want to keep my intensity up, but will probably not run as hard as I did this week. I need to start getting the legs to their freshest point and peak on race day

Nick Morris wrote:10.19.12 -

Time to catch up from the weekend that was...

Friday was a scheduled off day. I used the time to reflect on my training cycle and my upcoming goal.

Nick, I've got to believe you are feeling good about your training and prospects for the race.

JohnP wrote:

Nick Morris wrote:10.19.12 -

Time to catch up from the weekend that was...

Friday was a scheduled off day. I used the time to reflect on my training cycle and my upcoming goal.

Nick, I've got to believe you are feeling good about your training and prospects for the race.

I actually just really want race day to get here, but I know I need to put in the rest of the work to get there...