[rhoon phast]

Three weeks ago tomorrow I surprised myself by running a 21 second PR and winning the clydesdale division at Lost Dutchman. I've been thinking about gearing up for another attempt at the 3:50 barrier, but for the first time in memory, I actually sat out a few weeks after LDM, partially because I wanted to try the cold turkey recovery time the pros do and partly because even if I had been tempted to cheat on it (of course I would have...) I got sick. In fact, my boss was not amused that I seemed to have a lingering illness that has lasted a full two weeks. So I worked the second week of it. Hope I didn't get other folks at work sick.<br><br>
Now I'm trying to plan for another run and am looking at only one other race that I might reasonably be able to get to and train for in the next few months. Mayor's Marathon in Anchorage. Like LDM, it isn't really much of a PR course, but it isn't terrible either. I think they are probably pretty comparable in speed. Lost Dutchman has a starting downhill but then lots of rolling uphills in the second half of the course. Mayor's has an overall flat profile, but the uphills are really in the middle, ending around mile 15. Both have a soul-crushing uphill late in the race, mile 23 at LDM, mile 25 at MM. I've long since given over any expectation of running a sharp uphill at that point in a race, so it hardly matters. I'll power walk it.<br><br>
I don't yet know whether I can get the time off for the Mayor's weekend. But I'm looking at the crystal ball and my running calendar and tweaking a plan to get me in shape for another crack at my PR. If I can prepare adequately without overdoing it, I think it is realistic...<br><br>
I'm going to focus on long runs, tempo runs, and short races. I'm using my kids' peewee basketball for some sprint work to keep my muscles from totally seizing. But I've dropped plans for particular amounts of quality work. I just want to build my aerobic machine. I run poorly whenever my HR tops over 157, and that seems pretty low for a 37 year old. I do great in sprints though. So I'm not sure more fast work, which I'm already far better at than I am at distance, will help me get ready for a marathon. Miles it is. I'll probably continue to post occasional updates here. If anybody else is running Mayor's please feel free to pipe up and let us know how you are doing and what your goals are. I used to just run to enjoy the event in marathons. That might happen here anyway, but at the moment I've got PR fever...

 

[rhoon phast]

Well, first week back at it and I moved into it slowly with a mere 23 miles. Next week aiming for 40ish. Still don't know whether I'll be able to get the time off, but I plan to try. We had a brief stint of spring-like weather last week then it cooled back off. Now, warming up and snowing. Hmm...I had almost talked myself into wearing shorts...might have to put that thought on hold a week or few.

 

[evanflein]

Troy, I'd love to do Mayor's... but it's the same weekend as our Midnight Sun 10k Race (that starts at 10 pm, and I get home from Honolulu at 7 a.m....) Would be fun to do, but not in the cards this year. Good luck on your training, though. If you EVER get to Fairbanks, please, let me know!!!

 

[rhoon phast]

Bummer on the schedule, it would be nice to get a chance to run with you. Maybe someday I'll make it to Equinox, though after July/August (my low mileage months) and moose season (lot of miles, but none of it running...) I'll be walking a lot. Still, the way the Equinox course looks that would probably be true regardless. I ran Catalina three years ago and thought I was going to try to run the whole thing. HA! Similar course difficulty. After running the first 4 miles, all uphill, I knew I had made a potentially catastrophic error. I finished by running flats and downhills and power-walking uphills after that. And I passed a lot of people while walking uphill. And despite all that, I died on the final three miles going downhill and had to walk about half of the final, downhill, mile. But as always, the problem for me is the cost of travel, so it has to be a trip arranged for some other purpose if I'm going to do it.<br><br>
I've thought about learning to fly and getting a plane. Obviously doesn't save money, but it represents an investment in travel that's made ahead of time. Not this year, though.<br><br>
Enjoy the Hawaii trip though. We did. Are you going to be on Oahu, or elsewher? We spent a bit of time on Oahu at the beginning and end of our trip, and the rest of the time on the big island. We saw more of the big island, and liked it better, but they each had their bonuses. It was my first time to Hawaii, so it was all good...

 

[rhoon phast]

And yes, I'll let you know if I ever have a trip to Fairbanks. Of course, if you ever have a trip to King Salmon (how likely is that?) please do the same. I have actually been to Fairbanks twice but it has been four or five years since those trips. Seems like everything is oriented around Anchorage for us bush dwellers.