last weekly of 2010 -- 27 dec through 2 jan master's weekly thread

mcsolar99 · Dec 27, 2010

well, i got sick for my peak training week... looks like i'll have a 3 week taper for my upcoming race.
 
to get me less grumpy, please tell me your favorite race story. how something clicked, how you got a pleasant race day surprise, or how something caught your attention on a great race day for you.
 
one of my favorites was 4 years ago, when i first used gels in a marathon race. i inched along at 1:31 for the first half, and timidly jogged through 18mi. when i hit 2 hours and still felt fantastic, i hammered the remaining 8 miles at 6:30 pace, breaking 3 hours for the first time, and setting my current marathon pr. happiest 8 miles ever!
 
tally from last week:
 evan: 19.3 + 18.5 elliptical + walking: some hills losta track om: 32.8mi finishing the week in florida, brrr... heme: 26mi with trail running plus lots of cross training opie: 27.33mi with avg under 10min/mi -- excellent pattern fortunate one: 45.5mi with lots on treadmill, and some of it speedy! hally: 7.8mi with lots of cross training too! tamster: 10mi the hard way, in just two days running... it'll get better bty: 23.6mi, week cut short with a banged up broken toe, ouch! mcsolar99: 41.5mi, week cut short with a cold paul: 40mi, with a great 16 miler jjjesse: 13.3 mi with a lot of rest and recovery dove: 26mi with lots of rest too!

Better than yesterday · Dec 27, 2010

I guess my favorite race story (happy ending type, anyway) goes back 6 years ago when I went out just a touch too fast for a 3.5 mile community race. I was still learning about pace, and finding out about what I was capable of. I wanted to try to run 6:45's for 3 miles and see what I had left at the end. I hit mile 1 just a bit faster than that and eased into a slower pace for mile 2 so that I hit the 2-mile marker right on target. Unfortunately, I really wasn't quite fast enough yet to run 6:45's for 3.5 miles, and mile 3 was all about trying to keep the wheels from falling off, as several younger, still-looking-strong runners loped past me. Right around that 3-mile point, as I was just convincing myself that I could hold on to the current pace (probably a little faster than 8:00/mile) for the last 1/2 mile, since it was mostly downhill, another guy passed by me and said, "Nice Race". 
 
I don't know what it was about him saying that - I think he was completely sincere - but man oh man did it ever light a fire in my belly!! I went past him with smoke coming out of my ears, and I think I ran the last 1/2 mile in just a little over 3:00, as my overall pace wound up 6:53/mi.

Notably, that is the only race in which I ever came reaaaally close to puking in the chute.
 
I had really hoped to be on pace to break 1200 miles for the year on Friday afternoon, but I konked my little toe - the same one I broke in October - into a door last week, and it's all purple again. Likewise, there is once again soreness in my foot right near the base of my toe, and I want to let that heal before I try running again. 
 
Monday.....................0
Tuesday....................0
Wednesday...............5.0 with 3 at 8:10 / 8:00 / 7:54
Thursday...................5.5 all nice and slow ~ 10:45/mi
Friday........................0
Saturday....................0
Sunday......................4 with 3 at 8:11 / 7:59 / 7:50.
 
Total Plan................. No plan
Execution..................14.5
 
bty

Tamster · Dec 27, 2010

Thank you Mc. Hope you are feeling better soon. I have no doubt you'll do just fine with a 3 wk taper. Your training has been so good and I don't think one extra week of taper will affect you. heck, maybe it's even what your body wants/needs.
 
I almost always have fun at races. I guess that's one of the good things about not being uber competitive. sure, I like to improve upon my times, but if I don't, I still just enjoyed being out there running. But the most memorable for me is running a HM at Humboldt Redwoods. I felt great that day. I distinctly remember miles 8-9 or so where I hit that 'running high' - I literally felt like I was running on air. I was running about 8:40's at that point yet couldn't hear myself breath, only the sounds of other silent runners and the sound of our footfalls echo'ing in the deep forest and suddenly I was transported about a foot off the ground . . . or so it felt. I haven't had that sensation since then, but am still ever so watchful for it. It was running euphoria.
 
after a much too easy week, time to attack those hills again.
 
mon:
tue:
wed: ... 5 miles hills
thur:
fri: ...... 12 miles
sat: ......3 miles
sun:
 
miles run: 20 miles

Opie · Dec 27, 2010

you're gonna be fine, matt
 
My best current race story is about a year ago in Austin at the 3M Half Marathon. It was a goal race for me but I had gone out too fast. By mile 10, I had slowed to a 9-minute pace. I didn't know if I could beat my PR from there a year earlier, a 1:57:05. I was hurting bad but made the sign of the cross and made one last push. With a little more downhill, I came up with an 8:38 for mile 11, 8:30 for mile 12 and then some real kick for the finish and a shiny new P.R.!
 
Day.....................Plan.......................................................................................................................................................................Actual
Monday...lunch yoga; after work 4 mi. easy + circuit...............................................................................................done-4 mi. plus weights & general cardio
Tuesday...rest...................................................................................................................................................................................done
Wednesday...5 mi. fartlek.....................................................................................................................................done-5.03 mi.
Thursday...4 mi. easy + circuit..............................................................................................................................done-4 mi. plus weights & general cardio
Friday.....6 mi. with 4 of them tempo......................................................................................................................done-5.83 mi. with 3.68 tempo
Sat.........90 minutes easy....................................................................................................................................done-9.39 mi. in 1:32:48
Sunday...rest...................................................................................................................................................................................done
 
Total...................................................................................................................................................................28.25 miles @9:41 avg., compared to 9:56 last week

Hemerocallus · Dec 27, 2010

Thanks, MC. Like Tamster said, you're training's gone so well, I don't think this week will set you back at all.
 
Favourite race story...... hmmmm ........ probably my Sulfur Springs trail 10K last year. I'd been itching to get to this course for some time.... I'd grown up in the area and had ran HS cross-country on the very trails we'd be running that day. The course is drop-dead gorgeous..... non-technical, but undulating wide double track through a mature deciduous forest, full of spring wildflowers in full bloom. I found a good gear early on, hammered a few uphills and felt like I was flying for many of the long downhill bits. With about 1.5K to go, I rounded a corner to face ~100m of one of the steepest uphills I'd ever encountered, forcing me to a walk and almost having to put my hands down to clamber up. Up and over, again into a fast K of easy downhill and up a short grade to the finish. To my huge surprise, I'd taken 1st in my AG. Loved it!!!! This year I plan to go back and run a longer race, and take a bit more time enjoying the wildflowers!
 
This week I'm off work, so no TM access. Thankfully the weather's cooperating.
 
M.................... 5 miles
T..................... Zip
W................... 6 miles
T.................... ski
F.................... 6 miles
S.................... rest
S.................... 10 miles
 
Total: 27 miles

hally · Dec 28, 2010

Monday/Tuesday nothing
 
Wednesday=30 min elliptical
Thursday=2.1 miles
Friday=2 miles
Saturday=2.1 miles hiked 2.5 weights 30 min
Sunday= 3 miles
totals
ran 9.2
weights once
elliptical once
hiking once

evanflein · Dec 28, 2010

Easy this time around, mc. I could say my favorite race(s) were the Ragnar Relay runs because of the wonderful people involved in the teams you put together. From a strictly "fun PR" standpoint, that is still one of the best. But...
 
Boston this year was awesome. I'd started out behind schedule, waiting for my posterior tibialis tendinistis to really clear up. Started up slow for the first week, but then took off. Had an excellent training time and had an awesome race. The social aspects of Boston, as usual, were the best. And how could they not be? I stayed with WRFT and PDR the first night, then with Holly the next few and had a blast. Totally. Driving around with Hally, the party at Robin's, the dinner afterwards with Holly, Denise, and Hally was all top notch. Then the race... Holly and I took a towncar to the start, then the race was just perfect... kept wondering if things were going to crash and burn, but never did. Ended up with a 6 minute PR of 3:32:33!! Will be hard to top that one. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">
 
Monday: 5.15 miles easy run, .66 mile walk
Tuesday: 7.05 miles on the treadmill, 1 mile walk
Wednesday: 6.22 hilly miles (outside!!), .4 mile walk
Thursday: 3 miles easy, .4 mile walk
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday: Happy New Year!! 7.2 mile run and .35 mile walk
Sunday: 12.3 miles with some hills, 8:27 avg pace, .4 mile walk
 
Totals: 40.9 miles run, 3.7 miles walked, 1.1 mile on the elliptical and 45 minutes of weights/abs

Paul · Dec 28, 2010

Thanks MC.
 
M - 8 miles
T - 8 miles
W - 8.2 miles
Th - 10.3 miles (2000 miles for the year)
F - 2.2 miles
Sa - 14.5 miles
Su - rest day
______________________
Total - 51.2 miles
 
Paul

Fortunate One · Dec 28, 2010

Thanks, mc. Get well soon. You too, BTY
 
One of my best races was in a cave 3-4 years ago. In Kansas City, there is an old limestone mine that now has roads, businesses, etc. They have a Ground Hog 10K there around Ground Hog Day. I had relied on my Garmin for pace in races prior to that. Since the GPS didn't work underground, I just went by my HR, trying to keep it around 160 bpm, as I recall. Only at the end did I realize that my pace was good enough for a PR (1:45:25, I think), although I had passed a friend who usually beats me (he was ill, he said later). Ever since then, my road name has been Cave Runner. And that PR still stands.
 
M......... rest
T......... 5 M on TM, plus core work
W........ 5 M on TM
T.......... 5 M on TM plus core work
F.......... 21 M, 20 on an indoor track and one (shirtless) with Mother Nature
S......... 4 M with wind chill below 0 F
S......... 2 M on TM
 
Total: 42 M I'd hoped for a bit more but didn't feel well on Sunday. I'm on the mend.

Dove · Dec 28, 2010

A couple of years ago when I still trained hard and actually tapered for races I entered the Myrtle Beach Marathon. I chose Myrtle Beach so I could take my mom to South Carolina for a visit with an old high school friend (and I would have something to do while we were there). We made it to D.C. on Wednesday just as the airport was shut down due to a blizzard. Flights kept coming in, but nothing was going out. When departing flights resumed, we couldn't get a flight to Charleston or anywhere south until the following Monday. We couldn't get a flight home until the following Wednesday. No rental cars or trains either. We were stuck! After many hours on the phone and talking to agents... taper madness in full effect, desperately trying to find places we might go to salvage some of our vacation and some place I might run after all that training.... we booked a flight to San Diego, rented a car, drove to Phoenix, stopped to buy running shoes and a pair of shorts (our bags got lost in the shuffle) and made it to the Lost Dutchman Marathon expo with 2 hours to spare before registration closed. Got up the next morning and ran the slowest, most exhausting marathon on little sleep and even less food. It remains one of my fondest marathon adventures.
 
Monday: weights.................... weights
Tuesday: 6 miles.....................7 miles
Wednesday: 5 miles............... 3 miles
Thursday: weights...................rest
Friday: Yukon Bay Marathon...26.2 miles
Saturday: 1st Call Marathon.....26.2 miles
Sunday: 2nd Chance Marathon..26.2 miles
 
Total: 88.4 miles

OrangeMat · Dec 31, 2010

Thanks mc. I suppose my great race story (and race itself) is still ahead of me. Here's looking forward to starting off the new year with a 5k PR!
 
Mon..... 5.5 miles
Tues.... 3.1 miles
Wed.... nada
Thur..... 4.25 miles
Fri........ 7.6 miles
Sat...... 5.85 miles
Sun..... 14.6 miles
 
totals: 40.9 miles

JJJessee · Jan 1, 2011

Thanks, mc
 
M....17 of snow and ice.
T.....0
W....0
T......4
F.....4
S....17 including a few miles of single track with this gang including Eric who took the picture
<img alt="166414_1465481328538_1578663627_30947160_5420116_n.jpg" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs034.snc6/166414_1465481328538_1578663627_30947160_5420116_n.jpg">S.....0
 
 
JJJ.. 42

mcsolar99 · Jan 2, 2011

just wanted to recover from this cold, and i think i did. i'll find out for sure next week.
 
m:0 sick
t:0 sick
w:0 sick
t:0 sick
f: 2.5 mi 10:15/mi
s: 3 mi 9:45/mi
s: 4mi 10min/mi
 
total: 9.5mi

last weekly of 2010 -- 27 dec through 2 jan master's weekly thread

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