Redemption: 2013 Hamilton Road2Hope Marathon

09.18.13 -

7 miles...I broke in my race day racing flats tonight (Mizuno Wave Ronin 5).  Not sure what it is, but when I put on a pair of racing flats, my legs just seem to fly.  If there was any question if I had recovered from my 20 miler on Saturday, that was answered this evening.  Started out pretty fast and continued to stay at that pace for most of the run.  It felt like I was in cruise control...just easily knocking out the miles.  I steadily ran at a 7:20 pace for the first 5 miles, but forced myself to back off for the last two miles.  I know that I need to keep my legs fresh, so the last two miles were ran at 7:35 to finish the 7.31 miles at a 7:23 pace.

Weather forecast for Sunday is looking good.  As of right now, 40 degrees at race start with minimal wind.  I plan on being on the course for less than 1 hour and 25 minutes, so the temperature should not rise much by the time I finish.  Sounds like a recipe for some fast times!!

    

Good luck on Sunday Nick.

I'm just saying hi.  Hi!  Good luck this Sunday---that weather sounds perfect for racing in. It looks like your recent workouts have been pretty solid so I bet this race will be even more solid for you.

nkrichards wrote:Good luck on Sunday Nick.

Thanks Nancy...Beginning to feel fast again, which makes running even more fun

Penelope wrote:I'm just saying hi.  Hi!  Good luck this Sunday---that weather sounds perfect for racing in. It looks like your recent workouts have been pretty solid so I bet this race will be even more solid for you.

Hi!  I am hoping so, too.  This race is always the practice for my full.

09.19.13 -

6 miles...Just as the work day was ending a line of thunderstorms decided to roll through the area.  If there wasn't the threat of lightning, hail, and high winds, I would have ran through it...But I waited until the worst of the line rolled through before I made my way out the door.  This means that I had to finish the run in the dark.  My goal for the run was to take it easy and try to run 7:40 miles exactly for the entire run.  I did pretty well, too.  The only two miles not at exactly 7:40 were mile 3 at 7:39 and mile 5 at 7:41, but it evened out to give me that 7:40 that I was looking for over the 6.11 miles that I ran.  I like to try to run consistent slits every once in a while.  I think that it adds discipline and helps me know what running a consistent pace feels like and takes.

09.20.13 - 

Off night... Off night as I prepare for Sundays HM.   Weather is looking great!

09.21.13 - 

Travel day... Made the two hour trek north to Appleton, WI, as I prepare for my pre-marathon test race. Been running this race since 2006.  It is always scheduled the third Sunday of September and is perfect timing for a test race.

Hope the race went well!

09.22.13 -

Fox Cities Half Marathon - Appleton, WI...This is my 8th year running this race and it happened to be the first race that I ever trained for.  It is a great point to point race that comes at an opportune time in my Marathon Training Cycle.  I use this as my test race.  I test my fitness/training, race day nutrition, shoes and other gear, as well as, strategies.

On to the race...My goal this morning was to start out at a 6:30 pace and see how long I could hold it.  If I could hold that and feel good, my plan was to pick up the pace.  Beautiful day for a race, as the temperature was 40 degrees at the start with a minimal wind of 5 mph.  I got a good clean start and was able to maintain a 6:30 pace, as planned.  In fact, I ran a 20:09 5k split for the first 3.1 miles.  I got to the the halfway point at 6:30 and that is when I couldn't keep my legs turning over at the rate that I wanted to.  The second half of the race, my pace dropped to 6:40s.  I ended up finishing officially at 1:27:21 and 36th overall out of the 2,773 runners.  I fell a hair over two minutes from my PR that I achieved at last year's race.  And although I fell short of a PR, I still feel good about the race.  At no time did I really feel tired.  My average heart rate was 154, so not extremely overworked.  I felt really good physically afterwards.  I just couldn't get my legs to turnover.  I blame some of this on still being 6 pounds over race weight.  Last year, I was already at race weight for the Fox Cities Half Marathon.

Like I said, I feel good about the race, even though I fell short of a PR.  Moving forward, my goal is to drop to race weight, which should not be a problem.  I have two 70+ mile weeks coming up and that type of mileage will definitely get the metabolism going.  It was nice to get the racing spirit back

Sorry you missed your time goal, but it does sound like overall it was a decent race. Sometimes its jsut the day, and I'm glad you are not discouraged because missing that time is most likely nothing.  Keep up the good work.

That sounds like a very, very impression race to me, Nick! Congrats!

Good to hear that you thought the race went well even though you didn't quite meet your time goal.  I'm sure getting those extra pounds off before the marathon will help.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Sorry you missed your time goal, but it does sound like overall it was a decent race. Sometimes its jsut the day, and I'm glad you are not discouraged because missing that time is most likely nothing.  Keep up the good work.

Thanks Michele!!  It's really not my goal race and I know I am where I need to be at this point.  Just got to keep putting in the work.

Julie wrote:That sounds like a very, very impression race to me, Nick! Congrats!

Thanks Julie!!  It really did go well.

nkrichards wrote:Good to hear that you thought the race went well even though you didn't quite meet your time goal.  I'm sure getting those extra pounds off before the marathon will help.

Thanks Nancy!!  6lbs in 6 weeks...I call that easy

09.23.13 -

Cross training...Headed to the gym after work to focus on some core and upper body work.  My plan is to take today and tomorrow off from running before getting back into the swing of things.  I am not feeling any soreness from yesterday's race, which is good.  I will take it easy this week and then head back to the grind next week.

09.24.13 - 

Off Day...Feeling great today, the second day after racing.  My plan is to give myself another full days rest, before getting back into it tomorrow.  My plan is to run an easy 4 miles tomorrow and then back into the normal 7-10 range of my mid week runs.  Holy crap!!!  I am only a few weeks away from taper!!!

09.25.13 -

4 miles...Out this morning before work to get in my run.  Just an easy 4 miles to easy my way back into the grind.  My legs felt great and were full of life, as I waded my way through the darkness of early morning.  I completed a very easy 4.27 miles at a 7:29 pace.  Running is fun when I can run easy and the results are sub 7:30.

Have you had a chance to try HoneyMaxx yet?  It tastes awful!  Very bitter...especially the first few swigs.  I've used in before and during a couple runs.  Never enjoyed the taste but it wasn't as bad after a while.  It didn't seem to upset my stomach or anything.

 Keep up the good work!

nkrichards wrote:Have you had a chance to try HoneyMaxx yet?  It tastes awful!  Very bitter...especially the first few swigs.  I've used in before and during a couple runs.  Never enjoyed the taste but it wasn't as bad after a while.  It didn't seem to upset my stomach or anything.

 Keep up the good work!

No, I haven't had a chance to try it yet.  As long as it is not too sweet, my stomach should be ok.  I also normally do a 3 to 1 water to sports drink ratio anyways.

09.26.13 -

7 miles...It seems like a broken record, but I had another great run this evening.  I am really starting to get fast and I like it   I ran 7.54 miles at a 7:20 pace.  Nothing like running 7:20s with ease, especially since my MP is around 6:58.  Also, I am down a pound...So only 5 more from race weight and I still have my two hardest weeks of training to come!!  Yay!!

09.27.13 - 

Scheduled off day...Off today, as I rest up for another weekend of running.  Fairly light this weekend, before hitting the 70s for the next two weeks.  Forward!!

Enjoy your day off...and your weekend of running.

nkrichards wrote:Enjoy your day off...and your weekend of running.

Thanks Nancy...I did!!  Hope you have a great weekend, too!!