When my taper began I thought I had made it through my entire training with no injuries. I was excited to slow down and then run the race. By the end of the second taper run (out of a scheduled 12) I felt a pinch in my hip. I took it easy for a few days and ran a short easy run to see how the hip was doing. By the end of the run my "pinch" had grown to making me limp! This was not good with two and a half weeks to the race! So I quickly signed up for physical therapy, my taper just drop off to nothing.
After 3 PT appointments over two weeks my hip is doing much better, but now I'm looking at the marathon in 4 days, without running for over two weeks before. I hope this doesn't hurt my run. First goal is to finish, second goal, a time of 3:15:00. Let's see how this goes!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Saturday, October 6, 2012
20 Miles!
Today I finally set a new distance record, I did the long 20 mile run. It seems that if training for a marathon were a college course, the 20 mile run would be the final exam. Today I passed the final exam with a time of 2:27:22 (7:22 mile). Passing the final exam means I'm ready for graduation - the marathon!
I have come far in this journey. It was March 8, 2011 when I decided to run on our treadmill, just a few minutes a day, to get in shape and have a healthy lifestyle. Twenty-one days later, on March 29th I completed my first 5K distance in 32:58, a 10:36 mile. My wife talked me into running a 5K race on May 28th. I completed the race in 20:23 or a 6:33 mile. I was hooked on running from that day on.
I have, to date, over the past 19 months run (I think this is accurate, I may have missed a race or two):
I have come far in this journey. It was March 8, 2011 when I decided to run on our treadmill, just a few minutes a day, to get in shape and have a healthy lifestyle. Twenty-one days later, on March 29th I completed my first 5K distance in 32:58, a 10:36 mile. My wife talked me into running a 5K race on May 28th. I completed the race in 20:23 or a 6:33 mile. I was hooked on running from that day on.
I have, to date, over the past 19 months run (I think this is accurate, I may have missed a race or two):
- 8 5Ks with a PR of 19:46 (6:21 mile)
- 2 10Ks with a PR of 40:48 (6:36 mile)
- 1 Bloomsday Run with a time of 53:24 (7:09 mile)
- 1 Relay where my 3 legs totaled over 20 miles
- 2 Half Marathons with a PR of 1:33:40 (7:09 mile)
I have had two injuries that took me out of running for a few months (bursitis in the knee was the worst, the hairline fracture in my left foot wasn't to bad)
But the one event that has eluded me over the past 19 months has been the marathon. That ends now. I don't think I'm a long term marathon runner. But I would like to have one marathon under my belt and then I'll focus on my favorite event - the half marathon (need to get that time under 1:30:00). Today I sign up for the Tricities Marathon to be run on October 28.
Wish me luck!
Saturday, September 22, 2012
New 5K PR
Just finished the Big Bend Dollar Dash with a new PR! Ran the 5K in 19:46! Great fundraiser for scholarships! Now I hope I can do my long run of 18 miles tomorrow!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Back at it again!
August was to hot. The new plan - October 28th is the Tricities Marathon. The weather should be perfect, no excuses this time, I will run 26.2 miles!
The half marathon on August 6th went well overall. It was 74 degrees at the start line and who knows how hot at the finish. I was very glad I did not do the full marathon this time. Finished the race in 1:32:30 or a 7:04 mile (but I think the race was actually 12.93 miles, so that makes a 7:09 mile) The first six miles went grade, then mile 7 was a large hill and the heat caught up with me so the last half was MUCH slower than the first. But I did set a personal best race time for the half marathon. Still working towards my goal of 1:30:00. This will probably be my big goal after the marathon in October.
I decided to take a week off after the half to recover, then the day I was suppose to start running again I came down with the flu which set me back for three more days. Today I finally started running again - just 3 miles in 23:13 but it was suppose to be an easy run, tomorrow should be a faster run. I was a bit tight, but I loosened up by the end of the second mile. Very excited to be back at it!
The half marathon on August 6th went well overall. It was 74 degrees at the start line and who knows how hot at the finish. I was very glad I did not do the full marathon this time. Finished the race in 1:32:30 or a 7:04 mile (but I think the race was actually 12.93 miles, so that makes a 7:09 mile) The first six miles went grade, then mile 7 was a large hill and the heat caught up with me so the last half was MUCH slower than the first. But I did set a personal best race time for the half marathon. Still working towards my goal of 1:30:00. This will probably be my big goal after the marathon in October.
I decided to take a week off after the half to recover, then the day I was suppose to start running again I came down with the flu which set me back for three more days. Today I finally started running again - just 3 miles in 23:13 but it was suppose to be an easy run, tomorrow should be a faster run. I was a bit tight, but I loosened up by the end of the second mile. Very excited to be back at it!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Bronchitis, Heat, and New Marathon Plan
After running 18 miles I noticed I had a slight cough. After a week of having a fever every night and leaving work early twice I decided to go to the doctor - bronchitis. I was told to take it easy for a few days and put on some antibiotics. I quickly felt better, but missed a week of training, right at the end of my training when each mile is very important!
I decided to just skip a week rather than make it up, so this week was suppose to be the last week before taper. I got through the hard work out, but the long work out of 20 miles was in 70 degree weather! I made it 14 miles before I hit the wall, by mile 15 I was done. I had to quit, my body could not keep going in the heat. Frustrated with myself for not finishing this important run I was forced to come to a conclusion - I'm not going to be able to run my marathon on August 4 when it is going to be even warmer! Sadly I had to admit that I need to plan for a marathon in October instead, when I'll be running in 40 degree weather, rather than 75 to 80.
So the new plan is to run a half marathon in three weeks rather than the full and a full marathon on October 28 - the Tricites Marathon (https://3rrr.org/events/registration/?ee=29). The expected race weather is 40 degrees at start, about 50 at finish. I think I will feel much better about the run. Now to figure out how I'm going to do my training.....
I decided to just skip a week rather than make it up, so this week was suppose to be the last week before taper. I got through the hard work out, but the long work out of 20 miles was in 70 degree weather! I made it 14 miles before I hit the wall, by mile 15 I was done. I had to quit, my body could not keep going in the heat. Frustrated with myself for not finishing this important run I was forced to come to a conclusion - I'm not going to be able to run my marathon on August 4 when it is going to be even warmer! Sadly I had to admit that I need to plan for a marathon in October instead, when I'll be running in 40 degree weather, rather than 75 to 80.
So the new plan is to run a half marathon in three weeks rather than the full and a full marathon on October 28 - the Tricites Marathon (https://3rrr.org/events/registration/?ee=29). The expected race weather is 40 degrees at start, about 50 at finish. I think I will feel much better about the run. Now to figure out how I'm going to do my training.....
Monday, June 11, 2012
10K First Place and new PR!
Saturday was the Moses Lake Police Department 10K Run For Your Life fun run. I had a goal to come in at 41 minutes (a 6:36 pace). It was a down and back with a turn around half-way for the 5K runners. From the start of the race I quickly fell into third place with first and second far ahead of me and fourth far behind me. My first mile was a bit to fast (6:23 mile) so I slowed down a bit so I could finish strong. At 1.55 miles (the 5K turnaround) I was surprised to see the two runners ahead of me turn around - they were 5K runners! From that point on I held a commanding lead of first place for the 10K, but more important to me was hitting the 41 minute goal.
Miles 2 and 3 were just about perfect on my pace (one just below and one right on the 6:36 pace). But mile four I began to feel the work I had put in for the first three miles. I slowed down a bit to hit a 6:46 pace. With only two miles to go, and no one near me, I started pushing harder to hit my goal. Mile 5 and 6 came in good with just under a quarter mile to go to the finish. I saw the clock on the finish line from about a tenth of a mile away ticking closer and closer to 41 minutes. With a sprint to the end I watched the clock tick: 58, 59, 00, and I crossed the finish line as I saw the number 01 show up. Even my GPS watch agreed: 41:01. I had missed my goal by 1 second! Excited about first place, but disappointed at how the one second mocked me at the finish line.
However, I had forgotten something very important about the race timing. It was chip timed. My time didn't officially start until I crossed the start line, which apparently took me three seconds to do! My official time from crossing the start to crossing the finish was 40:58!!!! I had beaten my goal time by three seconds and blown my old 10K record out of the water by two minutes forty seconds! Getting first overall was nice, but not nearly as exciting as improving my 5K by so much! I still need to cut 1:58 off my time to qualify for second seed on bloomsday next year, but I'm getting much closer!
(this race was probably much easier to win as there was also a triathlon and a duathon happening at the same time that pulled several of the competitive runners out of the race. Also many of the faster runners in town are training for a marathon together and race day was a rest day on the marathon schedule so they either ran the 5K - like the two who were ahead of me for the first 1.55 miles, or didn't run at all. Either way - first is first :-D)
Miles 2 and 3 were just about perfect on my pace (one just below and one right on the 6:36 pace). But mile four I began to feel the work I had put in for the first three miles. I slowed down a bit to hit a 6:46 pace. With only two miles to go, and no one near me, I started pushing harder to hit my goal. Mile 5 and 6 came in good with just under a quarter mile to go to the finish. I saw the clock on the finish line from about a tenth of a mile away ticking closer and closer to 41 minutes. With a sprint to the end I watched the clock tick: 58, 59, 00, and I crossed the finish line as I saw the number 01 show up. Even my GPS watch agreed: 41:01. I had missed my goal by 1 second! Excited about first place, but disappointed at how the one second mocked me at the finish line.
(this race was probably much easier to win as there was also a triathlon and a duathon happening at the same time that pulled several of the competitive runners out of the race. Also many of the faster runners in town are training for a marathon together and race day was a rest day on the marathon schedule so they either ran the 5K - like the two who were ahead of me for the first 1.55 miles, or didn't run at all. Either way - first is first :-D)
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
15 miles!
New distance record today, 15 miles! I started out with a near perfect pace (7:25ish) for the front five miles, this helped as I got near the end I was still able to run faster than my goal pace! The first 14 miles went great without any trouble at all! The last mile was hard, but being so close to the end pushed me to keep going, I even finished with a 7:16 mile on my last mile by just pushing myself to finish! 15 mile time - 1:49:41, pace: 7:18 mile! I feel great!
Next week the long run is 16 miles! I have 5 more weeks of increasing distance before I taper for three weeks and run the marathon! Less than two months until the big race!
Next week the long run is 16 miles! I have 5 more weeks of increasing distance before I taper for three weeks and run the marathon! Less than two months until the big race!
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