Naperville Marathon Redemption

Back in July I went for 4:10:00 at Missoula using the Hanson's program and had a total meltdown. I vowed to try for it again at Naperville, but I didn't feel like my training really went all that well. Not terrible, but not great. No speedwork, just some pace runs and running maybe 4 days/week when I had been running 6 before. Then I got a new half PR between my 2 20s running by feel that predicted 4:09:58 in McMillan, so I decided I would try running Naperville by feel and see what happened.

This was the first Naperville marathon. Like many, it advertised flat and fast. I would not call this a fast course. I wouldn't call it slow either, but definitely not fast. Large sections on it are on crushed limestone, that in some places was rocky, sandy or in one place, muddy. Most was in decent condition though. It also has a 6 mile section of small hills that are just either steep enough or long enough to really beat you up. Some other little hills are sprinkled throughout. There are also plenty of turns and curves. I ended up running 25.54 total and I was being pretty good about trying to run tangents. Winds today in the hilly section were around 14-15 mph, adding to the challenge. In the neighborhood areas, crowd support was great. In the hilly forest preserve section it was pretty lonely.   

I used my watch for the first 2-3 miles to avoid going out too fast. I meant to go no more than 9:30, but I was more like 9:25 and I felt like I was crawling. I turned the watch to the time of day screen around mile 3 and looked at maybe 3-4 splits between there and mile 13. After that I never looked at it. Not even the time of day. I just went by feel. I felt pretty good until 19 or so, then a short steep uphill at around 20 started doing me in. I picked back up during a 2 mile downhill after that, but was wiped by 24. I was lightheaded and rather delirious. I walked two short hills but otherwise kept chugging on. 

Naperville put a short but very steep hill at 26. Just plain evil. I knew it was coming, so I took it easy up to it. A friend ran me up the hill and I saw my husband at the top. Ran down, turned a corner and saw the clock turn to 4:13:00. I started at 3:40 on the clock, so I tried to kick in, but I don't think I really sped up much.

I almost fell over when they were cutting my shoe tag off and again when going to the food tent. I thought about going to medical, but I got 4 orange slices and that seemed to cure me. I was still shaking too much to check my watch though, so I had my husband swipe it so I could see my time. Got a major calf cramp while changing clothes after. I never cramp, so that was a surprise.

Overall, I left nothing in the tank. But I also think that on an easier course and conditions I could have gone closer to 4:05.

Old PR 4:28:48

New PR 4:10:23   

Garmin data:    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/402684662 

My next race will be Bayshore in late May. I have a plan that meshes everything that has worked best for me before. 9 day training "weeks" Hansons' speed work, and 2 20s with half in between. I need 3:55 for Boston. I plan to aim for that and see how it goes.

Great work, Carleen! Congratulations!

That most certainly was redemption!!  I think the term 'flat and fast' is used to describe every course..I don't trust it.  Congratulations on the PR!  That's fantastic.

That's a gigantic PR!  Great work!

What a great job you did, Carleen.  And I just love it when a runner does a great job of running the tangents.  And best of luck on your BQ, too!

Congratulations on the huge PR, Carleen! You ran a smart race, despite the complications, and left it all out there. Great job!

Great job on achieving a huge PR.  It sounds like the less is more training worked this go round.  Best of luck at Bayshore!

Awesome, Carleen!!!!  I kept checking the website to see if they would post results, but knowing it was a small race, I didn't expect much from the race, but I was sending lots of karma your way.  Congrats on the huge PR and giving it everything!  Looking forward to following your journey to BayShore and that try for the BQ!  Let's hope it goes as well!

(And Dot, I think that is so true.)

Fantastic - what a great job on the PR!!!

Holy cow!  That is huge!  Congrats and glad to see that work paying off!!!   

Congrats on the new PR! Super job!

Awesome race Carleen!!!  That is a huge PR!!!  You should be very proud of the race.  I am thinking that your training got you to the start line less beat up than before, which helped you avoid the melt down.  Good luck at Bayshore!!!  Is your next goal to break 4:00:00??

Nick Morris wrote:Awesome race Carleen!!!  That is a huge PR!!!  You should be very proud of the race.  I am thinking that your training got you to the start line less beat up than before, which helped you avoid the melt down.  Good luck at Bayshore!!!  Is your next goal to break 4:00:00??

Yes. I'll probably train for 3:55, which would be my BQ, but I'll have to see if I can take off that much more time with a spring half or ten miler to see what it predicts. I think I can realistically break 4 since I think I would have pushed that at Naperville if the course has been friendly like the Bayshore course is. I'm probably pushing it with 3:55, but the speed work times for either 3:55 or 4:00 fall in my training plan range, which gives a lot of leeway at doing things at between 5k pace to 10k pace.  So I'll try it with speed work on the fast end and evaluate further as the race gets closer and as I do some spring races.

Great Carleen!!!!   Stick with the Hanson plan.  It'll get you to Boston.

Carleen, you have made some stupendous progress over the last few years. Congrats on another great race. Boston will soon be in your future.

Go Carleen, BQ next time!

Great job Carleen.  Monster PR. And yeah I think all RD's say the course is flat and fast. You're heading back to Bayshore and that is a fast course.  The BQ is right there for the taking.

Great job on that PR!

Huge congrats!! Also welcome to the club of not doing any speed work and still running a huge PR! Like you, I have pretty much scratched speed work from my training, well at least going to the track. I should also add that this is for when training for a marathon or ultra race. Keep up the good work and I bet you will find yourself going sub 4 before you know it.

Also great learning lesson were you found that the style of the Hanson plan doesn't quit suit your running style. That is the good thing about trying different plans and finding what works best for you. Have you thought about taking a look at Brad Hudson? I'm wondering if the structure of he's plans would work for you.?

Schuey wrote:Huge congrats!! Also welcome to the club of not doing any speed work and still running a huge PR! Like you, I have pretty much scratched speed work from my training, well at least going to the track. I should also add that this is for when training for a marathon or ultra race. Keep up the good work and I bet you will find yourself going sub 4 before you know it.

Also great learning lesson were you found that the style of the Hanson plan doesn't quit suit your running style. That is the good thing about trying different plans and finding what works best for you. Have you thought about taking a look at Brad Hudson? I'm wondering if the structure of he's plans would work for you.?

I actually love the speedwork in the Hansons plan, which I think isn't too different from some stuff in Hudson's plans, who I have glanced at, but not looked at deeply.  What didn't work for me was the whole cumulative fatigue thing with a 16 mile cap on the long run that the Hansons do.  So, next time around I am going back to 9 day "weeks" which worked great for me before and am doing the Hansons speedwork. But there will be 2 easy days between each hard run that way. Then, I'm doing my favorite thing of 2 20s with a 12-13 mile pace run or a half in between.  Those are all things that worked well for me in the past, so I am putting them all together into one plan.

carleenp wrote:

Schuey wrote:Huge congrats!! Also welcome to the club of not doing any speed work and still running a huge PR! Like you, I have pretty much scratched speed work from my training, well at least going to the track. I should also add that this is for when training for a marathon or ultra race. Keep up the good work and I bet you will find yourself going sub 4 before you know it.

Also great learning lesson were you found that the style of the Hanson plan doesn't quit suit your running style. That is the good thing about trying different plans and finding what works best for you. Have you thought about taking a look at Brad Hudson? I'm wondering if the structure of he's plans would work for you.?

I actually love the speedwork in the Hansons plan, which I think isn't too different from some stuff in Hudson's plans, who I have glanced at, but not looked at deeply.  What didn't work for me was the whole cumulative fatigue thing with a 16 mile cap on the long run that the Hansons do.  So, next time around I am going back to 9 day "weeks" which worked great for me before and am doing the Hansons speedwork. But there will be 2 easy days between each hard run that way. Then, I'm doing my favorite thing of 2 20s with a 12-13 mile pace run or a half in between.  Those are all things that worked well for me in the past, so I am putting them all together into one plan.

I know Luke a bit, who wrote the book.   You're on the right track.  He had to write the book on a 7 day schedule, but really wants to do a 9 day schedule just like you've stated.  Problem is, most of the world works on 7 days and if you want to sell books.............................

huge PR yeah! great job! I wish I could not look at my watch, that was pretty big wind you had to deal with as well great race !