Stay on Target

Last night while running with the Striders boys I had a moment of clarity.  The plan that I am using for my training is working perfectly.  Running a modified marathon plan for a 25k has pushed me to build my endurance while also running some smoking fast tempo runs.  I am very pleased with where I am at with 5 more weeks of training to go.  Being able to close a 10k last night with a 7:09 mile without feeling like I was pushing has given me the confidence that I need to stay the course and not lose sight on my goals.   I am now at the phase in my training where I get more 25k specific shortening my long runs a bit, and focusing on my 25k pace instead of my MP.
I am going to be going a little shorter on the weekends but at a much faster pace.  I am leaving for the Catskill mountains in the morning to add a bit of hills to the mix and to get a change of scenery.  When I return, I will be in full beast mode.   I am hoping some hill training will help me through mile 7-10 of RB.  GROWL!

Whatever Doesn't Kill You.

I am starting to feel like someone's science project. Measuring my sweat loss, calculating my lactic threshold while contemplating my proper nutritional needs. This morning I suffered through the last couple miles of my 19.5 mile run. Suffered like I felt like some organ was going to stop working inside of me.   Don't get me wrong, I get off on the work that goes into training for these things, but sometimes I really step back and wonder why am I doing this to myself?  Marathon training is grueling.  Most marathons are run in the Fall, and that puts us out on the roads training through the heat of a long summer, and early fall.  We were lucky enough to get 80 degree temperatures in March this year, and so I am lucky enough to be training for an October marathon in 8 months of heat.  I am not trying to complain, but I guess the question is what do I get from this?  I am a middle of a packer, who will never win any money, or really any sort of prize for my running.. So really, why did I chose this goal?

Dripping wet

With Summer in full swing here in the great Midwest I have to be very careful to stay hydrated.  I know this is a bit early for this type of talk being  March and all, but last night the temperature did hit 88 degrees right before our 6 mile run.  I have started to weigh myself before and after my runs while factoring the weight of the water I intake into the equation as well.  I am hoping to find a baseline sweat loss level so I can figure out exactly how much drinking I need to do while running a marathon.  I am going to see how this plays out on Saturday on my 18 miler.  Hydration will be crucial in my success this coming fall.  I am going to start making more comments about my weight in the next few months.  I am not weight obsessed, just very serious about keeping myself hydrated.

CRASH

I am going to be positive here.  I am getting stronger and have been feeling great. 
Yesterday I had the worst run I have had in over a year.  Lets review what happened.
#1.  The tempreture was 82 degrees.  Not ready for that
#2.  I thought I was going to run @ 12, so I didn't properly hydrate, or eat before hand. I ran @ 3pm
#3.  Daylight saving time has screwed up my sleep patterns
#4. Family stress has taken its toll on me
#5.  I ran my tempo runs too fast this week.
#6.  I think I am fighting off a little cold

Results:  My 10k time trial turned into a jog walk after 2 miles.  My brain starts betraying me.

How to fix this:  Finish of weekly mileage with an easy run today, put up legs, hydrate, and get back to sleeping.  Legs are going up, and I am going to listen a little better for next week. 
As for the heat,  I race in the morning so I still should not run in the heat of the day.  Duh!  I'm bad in the heat
Yoga
Stretching
Legs up
Relax
Eat well
Relax
Taking Monday and Tuesday off and then back to the Grind.  Going 18 this week with 3x2mile again. 
Pay attention

Knee deep

Knee deep in the shit is how I feel right now.  This week we substitute a 10k time trial for my long run bringing my mileage totals down to a comfortable if not easy 37 miles.  Its a recovery week.  I also have added to my plan for the next coming weeks either a medium easy run 10 -12 miles or a double day  of the same mileage total.  Next week we ramp up the training and return to a 50 plus mile week with a big ole 18 mile progressive run... That will be fun.  With less than 2 months to go before Riverbank, I am starting to feel really strong, but I have to be careful playing around with this marathon plan that I am on.  I don't want to burn out before we get to May.  My body keeps on telling me to up the mileage, but I have to remember to stay on target and stick to the plan. 

16 miles...

On Saturday I ran my first 16 miler of the year.  16 miles.  At this stage in the year with the Riverbank approaching I should be peaking at around16 miles, but I have a completely different plan for the season.  I am not really training to run the Riverbank run in May,  I am 100 % focused on building my endurance so that I can run the Chicago Marathon in October.  October may seem many moons away, but here is how I plan on pulling off my maiden voyage into Chicago.
Currently, I am running a modified version of my marathon plan for this 25k.  I am peaking at 50 -60 miles around May 1st and then using the base that I have built to carry me into the summer training cycle. My tempo pace is a little bit faster than it will be in July, but all in all its the same plan.  My plan for Chicago is to peak somewhere around 75 -80 miles in September.  For the month of June I am most likely to linger around 40 miles per week and start my build up at the beginning of July.  My speed work has been great and I am sure with the added endurance and hill training I will have no problem running RB at a strong pace.  I would love to use RB as a corral qualifying race, but my focus and attention has to be on building up my strength.  My problem historically has been not having a strong enough base.  Yesterday, I blew through the first 6 miles of my 16 in 44 minutes.  I took it easy for 3 and then ran another 3 miles at my steady state pace..  I died on the last 3-4 miles.  This is on a 16 mile run.  I can not even begin to understand how I am going to make myself strong enough to cover the entire 26.2 miles at 3:19 pace.  I am ready to work all year long to figure this one out.   I still have an 18 mile, 20 mile, 16,  and 22 mile long run in the works between now and May 12th, and I am excited to see how these runs help me build my endurance.  The nice thing about doing this cycle for riverbank is that I can adjust my plan for the marathon if I find that I am not getting what I need from it.  I can not wait to run that 22 mile training run in September and feel like a strong ass running machine.
I am going to return to the treadmill a little bit this week for some of my easy runs so I can avoid a little stress and strain on my body.  This week is a 75% week, which puts me at 37 miles for the week with 3x2 mile @ mp  and a 5k or a 10k time trial at the end of the week.  No long run this week so I have to put in a lot of easy mileage to meet my quota..   Exciting stuff. 
On another side of my training I am starting to really focus my attention on my nutrition and have been feeling that this might just be the most important piece to my marathoning success.  I have been working really hard to keep myself hydrated throughout the day and while running, eat a giant salad for dinner, lots of lean protein for my muscles and a carb rich afternoon lunch.  I have been supplementing my diet with a muscle milk shake.
I am carefully watching my weight, and am still working on getting myself down to a healthy 150-152 pounds as a racing weight.  Today is a day off, and I am fine with peaking at 47 miles this early in the training cycle.

47.5 Miles

This week has been great. Today I ran a 2 x 2.5 mile run with a half mile jog in between.  I tried to start off each of the reps at steady state pace and work down into the 6:40s for the last half mile or so.  I like to mix up the pace on these things just to see where I am at fitness wise. I feel strong, but am glad to have 2 months before the riverbank run.  I am definitely not ready to race yet.  I feel my base work this winter has been great, and when I get to May 12 this year, I am going to be ready.  I am more than willing to train my ass off for the next 2 months.

 Tomorrow morning I head out for my 15 mile steady state run.  I long the long runs.  I am slated for 47.5 miles this week, so i might run on Sunday and take Monday off.  I feel great, and my body seems to be holding up pretty well.  Next week we take a step back with an easier week mileage and tempo runs.  We start doing more MP work and less tempo from this point on in my training.  3x2 @ mp with a time trial instead of a long run next week.  This will be interesting.  I am going to try to follow my plan as much as possible, but I think if I run on sunday I might break the 50 mile barrier this week.  Exciting stuff.
We shall see.

Beast Mode

I just returned from my 5 am recovery run.  The temperature this morning was a blustery 54 degrees.  I feel like we have almost made it out of winter, and am crossing my fingers for only a few more weeks of cold mornings.
Beast mode has begun for the Riverbank run. T minus 9 weeks and counting.  I am feeling really good.  Last night's tempo run took place on the hills and I ran 3 of the 4 miles in 7:14 6:45 6:19.. Yep.  The first mile was uphill around 8:14 pace and I laid off a little bit but still pushed strong up the hills.   I have been modifying my original plan on tempo days, but making sure I hit my marks.  I feel that fast mile repeats are just as important as tempo pace 3-4 mile runs.  As my race gets a little closer I am going to start focusing more on MP runs with finish fast progressive runs run from MP down to 5k pace at the end of my long runs. 
I bought a new pair of trainers to put into the mix and hopefully save my legs a bit.  They feel a little heavy on
my feet, but very comfortable.  I feel like my feet are in a Cadillac, well built, lots of power, compared to the little Ferrari racing flats I have been doing 99% of my running in.
Been trying to get as much hill work in as possible this month.  I am running a modified hill section from the Riverbank run in my training.  I am adding about 3 miles of other hills to the mix just to add variety to my runs.
I am climbing.  The 4 miles of rolling hills from 8-12 miles should be a breeze when I get done with the next 2 months.  After I return from my trip to the Catskills I am sure my calves will be huge and my confidence level even larger.
Nutritionally speaking I am  starting to get serious about things.  Carbo loading lunches, large salads for dinner, and simple high protein (including muscle milk) simple breakfasts.  I am excited to be scientific about my nutrition and eat what I need when I need it.  I am ready to roll.. Beast Mode... BEAST Mode.