The 2013 Race Plan

I have thought very hard about the year 2013, and because of that I have been unable to post for quite some time.  In addition, I had a rough time a few weeks ago, when I got hit with the flu.  Although I actually only missed 4 days of running, and rebounded pretty well.  But it was a pretty rough sickness, and it has taken another week for myself to get back on track.  These past few days I was up in the mountains of Westchester, NY visiting family.  Running up and down the steep, mountainous hills up there "woke" my legs up a bit.  I hit 78 miles this week, and got my first long run of close to 2 hours since the marathon.  Most of my runs have been slow though.  I have not done any speedwork except a few fartlek intervals.  But it will come back naturally as I get back into the swing of things.  I am also still pool running once a week and will continue to do so-I think it will help my training.

I was quite tired after I finished the Philly Marathon, and quite frankly, I needed some rest.  It was the finish to a 2-year drive-the way I look at it now.  2011 and 2012 were now, as I look back, a long continuous drive of training and racing.  The start of 2011, a 15:26 indoor 5K(a PR at the time), was the spark that drove a string of hard-earned races that followed throughout the next 2 years.  Coming out of 2012, I have shed another layer of skin, with new personal bests in all distances I have raced.  Some are stronger PRs than others, but at the end of the day the way I coach myself and the way I train is all about getting myself better as a whole to my utmost potential.  As I observe my performances, I have developed tremendously in 5K-13.1, but still just moderately in the marathon.  This to me, says something.

In 2011 and 2012, I split each year into 2 parts: the first part(Spring) was concentrating on 13.1 on down to the 5K, and the second part(Fall) was working on 10 miles on up to the Marathon.  This has brought me success and I have PRed in every event doing it this way.  However, my marathon continues to be the weakest(although I have brought my time down to at least a "decent" performance).  What I have been able to do is actually pretty incredible, now that I look at it.  I have been able to race and run personal bests in other events and still be able to run a marathon at the same time, during the same training cycles, and run a decent time.  But now I realize that I have gotten to a level where if I want to run a marathon "on par" with my other current bests, I must concentrate on only 26.2-and not throw in too many "distractions" during the cycle.  The day I do that I will be able to race the marathon up to my ability.

Well, I am not ready to do that right now.  

"Do what works."

I talked to Lucinda's husband, Andy(who trained under Brad Hudson and clocked 13:38 for 5000m during his competitive career) about what races to train for.  He said, "Do what works, Chris.  Do what you're good at right now."  This knocked some sense into me.

I felt an immediate sense of relief when I realized what I wanted to do this year.  It was very much a freeing feeling.  I need to do what works for me right now.  At this time it seems that the right thing to do is to devote a year towards training for nothing longer than 13.1.  If I concentrate on that, I can put ALL my energy into perfecting my current prime range.  I can really go all out now.  Anyone who knows me well knows that if I toe the line with them in a 10K, 10 Mile, or 13.1 Mile race, they best be running very hard to beat me.  And this is what I continue to immensely improve in.  I have more left in me to show on the track, and in the 10K-13.1 distances.  I can become dangerously better at these distances.

There is another reason. The Olympic Trials half marathon standard of 1:05:00 is something I am aiming for, and feel is attainable if I really focus on getting my speed down.  I have the schedule pretty much figured out, although there may be slight changes.  Certainly, I have the spring figured out.  I plan to open with the Maryland 3000m in January.  It'll be a good race to get my turnover going and my competitive edge back.  The prime races will be shamrock half, cherry blossom, and pikes peek.  The swarthmore track 5000m is always a great finish to the season and I'm able to hold my spring peak through that race.  I would like to do the USA Half Marathon Championships again, but I am nixing that to give hierarchy to a fresh fall season, concentrating on the Philly Rock N Roll Half in Sept, along with peaking for the Army 10 Miler and Philly Half in Nov.

2013 SCHEDULE

1.19.13 University of Maryland Indoor Track 3000m

3.17.13 Shamrock Anthem Half Marathon

4.07.13 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler

4.21.13 Pikes Peek 10K

5.13.13 Swarthmore College Outdoor Track 5000m

7.12.13 Midsummer Night's Mile

7.20.13 Rockville Twilighter 8K

8.31.13 Kentlands 5K

9.15.13 Philadelphia Rock n Roll Half Marathon

10.20.13 Army 10 Miler

11.24.13 Philadelphia Half Marathon

Rebuilding

As I began to gain life in my legs again just before thanksgiving, I realized that I hadn't done pool running for quite some time.  I used to do it when I was injured a lot, but also did it in college as a supplemental workout to improve cardio without the pounding.  I like to run freestyle without a belt.  After just my first run in the water, I felt 50% better.  Since then I have been doing it twice a week, with my running slowly coming back.  Recovery is relative.  For me actually running a few easy miles 3 days after a marathon helps clear out the gunk.  All my runs have been slow right now, easy miles.  It has taken about 2 weeks for me to feel more "normal" again.      

Week 1
11/19: Rest
11/20: Rest
11:21: Pool Running 40 minutes
11/22: 3 mile run
11/23: Pool Running 50 minutes
11/24: 6 mile run
11/25: 10 mile run

Total: 19 miles, + 90 minutes pool running

Week 2
11/26: AM: Pool Running 50 minutes, PM: 5 mile run
11/27: 5 mile run
11/28: Pool Running 50 minutes
11/29: 6 mile run
11/30: 5 mile run
12/1: 10 mile run
12/2: 8 mile run

Total: 39 miles, + 100 minutes pool running

The Journey Continues

11/18/2012
Philadelphia Marathon
Time: 2:35:09, PR
Place: 47th
1/2 Splits: 1:13, 1:21

I have never had so many mixed feelings about a race.  If you were to ask me 2 years ago how I felt about this race, I would have said it was one of my best races ever.  At the time I had never even broken 16:00 for a 5K, and my half marathon personal best was barely under 1:13, which was pretty much my first half's split yesterday.  There is one negative to getting better: You are your own worst enemy.  Now, my 5K is 14:58, and my Half Marathon is 1:08, not to mention all the other 8K, 10K, and 10 mile races in between.  My 5K pace 2 years ago is my pace for 10 Miles now.  I have gotten to a much different level, and it shows in every distance...except the monster 26.2.  It's as if my marathon time is trying to catch up with my other current performances...and currently it looks to be about 2 years behind.  Please don't get me wrong though, this is not a frustration rant-I am actually not unhappy about the race, it is simply an analysis on perspectives of different performances and levels of where I am at as a runner.

Despite running a 2+ minute personal best yesterday, 26.2 is currently my weakest event.  It is a race that (right now) is outside of my current prime.  I do believe, that if it was a 20 or 22 mile race, I would do far better.  The zone of running after those miles is a different kind of running-which I have not been able to master yet-this is something I am currently working on.  As a coach, I am not embarassed, rather, I am passionate to say this, because I think every runner, no matter what level you're at, knows deep down inside of them what they're capable of doing if they really dig deep.  For me, I do not believe my performance in the marathon is a mental thing, but more physical.  If my head wasn't right, I wouldn't be racing so well in every other distance.  My mind is trained and knows how to push its limits.  Of course this doesn't mean that I don't continue to train it. And I must keep doing so.  The physical part of the marathon for me is getting my body to be able to race the entire distance.  The last 10K I was just able to run-not race, at a training pace that is typical on an easy run for me.  It is really a more physical process of adapting the body to handle this demand.  I do believe, it can be done however.  I think it just takes more time than other distances.  Some people may think that I am being unrealistic with my goals.  But, the truth is, anyone who really knows what I can do will agree that I should be at least a 2:25 guy, if not faster.  There are guys who run 2:35, who have never broken 1:13 in the half.   

My first mile was 5:35(2:26 pace-slightly slower than goal pace), and went through the first half in 1:13(still exactly 5:35 pace).  I would have liked to go out slower that first mile, but I really don't think it was too fast either.  I felt comfortable, it did not feel too hard-I felt this was realistic to sustain for the entire distance.  I even thought about negative splitting perhaps(1:13, 1:12).  I was breathing comfortably, and chatting a little bit even with other runners.  Now, if I went out in 5:15 pace, I think then that I would have had to drop out eventually!  So, I think I did the best I could, and believed in myself and went for it.  Another thing, which Matias brought up with me, is race day nutrition.  A top notch Ironman athlete and 2:34 marathoner himself, EFS(First Endurance Liquid Shot) is his favorite, and recommends me trying.  Maybe the GUs I take just aren't cutting it.  I took 2 1/2, (1 roctane, 1.5 expresso).  I also drank water along the course-actually I drank pretty often, which I am super proud of myself for doing!  In the past, I have been very bad about drinking water during a marathon(and I honestly hate drinking while running), and I think I have mastered that now.  I even took some water after the first mile.  I give myself a lot of credit for being able to do this now.  But at Mile 18, something happened.  I had to go.  And I'm not talking about # 1 either.  So, I veered off course and found a spot.  It sucked, but I had no other choice.  Maybe the GU upset my stomach?  I had NEVER had to go during a marathon before.  But I really think I just had to go regardless of what I took.  It's not like the GU is a heavy meal-jesus-its just 100 calories of sugar-I feel like a donut or a cookie would have caused more problems.  And I didn't have any cramps or side stitches(thank god).  But that aside, maybe there is something better for me to take anyway.  I will look into it-and it's good to find the best possible nutrition option, even if it doesn't make a difference in performance.

Nevertheless, when I look back at previous marathons before this one, there are improvements made.  For one thing, as I mentioned earlier, I have taught myself to drink water during the race, and physically adapt to it.  My splits were 1:13, 1:21, which are yes, pretty uneven, but better than Marine Corps pacing last year which was 1:12, 1:24.  I have also made fitness gains from all of the training I have done the past year.  There are a lot of workouts I have done and a lot going on that has not shown yet, and this is a great way to move me into the year 2013.

When I crossed the finish line, I felt a lot. I hugged Beth and shed a tear, who has always been there for me. She knows how far I have come. And it has been far, indeed.  I think this marathon was the end of an era in training(in years) and the beginning of a new one.  It may have not reflected on the other current performances I have gotten to, but I think it reflected on years prior to those performances.  And those years were hardly fought, too.  Perhaps it is a summary of everything all together, or an average.  I do feel that 2013 will be starting a new chapter in my running career.  The half marathon is really in my sight now.  The 2016 trials qualifying window opens again in 2013(can qualify with half or full).  I have really high goals for the year and am looking at things for not only next spring, but next fall as well.  Up next will be a preview of the year 2013 and what races I have in mind. 

The old journey is over, but a new one is about to begin.

-Sloane

Test my will, test my heart..

Test my will, test my heart
Let me tell you how the odds gonna stack up
Y'all go hard, I go smart
How's that working out for y'all in the back, huh?
I've seen that frustration
Been crossed and lost and told "No"
And I've come back unshaken
Let down and lived and let go
So you can let it be known
I don't hold back, I hold my own
I can't be mapped, I can't be cloned
I can't C-flat, it ain't my tone
I can't fall back, I came too far
Hold myself up and love my scars
Let the bells ring wherever they are
'Cause I was there saying...

No, you can tell 'em all now
I don't back up, I don't back down
I don't fold up, and I don't bow
I don't roll over, don't know how
I don't care where the enemies are
Can't be stopped, all I know; go hard
Won't forget how I got this far
For every time saying…

-LINKIN PARK

The Work is Done

I am now 2 weeks away from the Philadelphia Marathon. There is nothing more I can do at this point to improve fitness. It is all about resting up and letting my body absorb all of the mileage and workouts I have done leading up to the race. 

The week started off soggy on Monday as I jogged 5 miles in a disgusting wet rain with the hurricane coming in.  Monday night, as the hurricane rolled through, thanks to Beth's treadmill, I got in a second run of 4.5.  Tuesday afternoon was another wet and gloomy 6.5 miles.  On Wednesday, I ran through the late afternoon after work on the Millenium Trail, finishing up a 10.5 mile run through Rockville's neighborhoods and seeing goblins and ghosts begin their trick or treating.  Thursday, the sun seemed to finally begin coming out, and I got in 8 at Great Falls.  On Friday it was even nicer and I had some time to drive out to White's Ferry and do a Ferries Loop in 68:00.  On Saturday, I booked one last hard run on the towpath at Pennyfield(for some reason I just love running hard here), which felt just slightly faster than marathon pace but something I probably could've sustained for about 30-35K if I had to.  After a 1 mile jog, I did 10.7 miles in 58:00, which ended up being 5:25 pace, running even the whole way.  I felt good and that I had hit my last workout on the nose.  On Sunday, I did an easy 17.5 at 7:00 pace.  Total ended up being 74 for the week.

I am now easing up completely and running purely by feel until the race.  I will be ready on 11/18.

10/22-10/28: 98 Miles/Week

I view this past week as a week where I "held on" and was able to climb furthur up.  Coming off an Army 10 Miler PR and immediately going into high mileage this past week seemed like a tough thing to do, but aside some expected stiffness, I actually I felt quite comfortable (and good) doing it.  I think partially, because I ran a small amount of mileage when I tapered last week(53), and secondly, it felt good running longer and slower(compared to running fast 10 milers).  I nixed any trackworkouts this week so that I could run longer miles and recover to do a strong long run over the weekend.  On Saturday, I drove out to Pennyfield to do one of my favorite out and backs.  I did 10.5 out and 10.5 back for a total of 21.  I did the first 10.5 in 58:00(5:31 pace), and came back in 60:00(5:42 pace).  I would have preferred the reverse, and I think I got a little carried away and ran a bit hard in the beginning(even though my first mile was just under 6:00).  At the same time, I wasn't completely recovered from running 51:44 for 10 miles 6 days earlier, and on top of all that, also getting in 98 miles for the week.  Indeed, the last 3 miles of the run my hamstrings became stiff and I could feel the lingering soreness from Army.  But I think it was GREAT training this way.  It taught me how to PUSH through fatigue and HANG ON.  It definitely was mentally a good exercise, and one good last 21 miler.  What's next is I just need to do some continued sharpening and shortening the runs...doing between 16-18 for next week's long run, and then completely taper down.  For this training cycle, I have done ten 20+ mile long runs, up to 23 miles for my longest.  Last year, I did a 25 miler, although I am feeling very well prepared this time around and my runs last year weren't nearly as fast as they have this year.

Last week(10/22-10/28) below:

Monday: 17 miles (6:50 pace)

Tuesday: AM: 11 miles (7:00 pace)

Wednesday: AM: 13 miles (7:00 pace), PM: 3.5 miles

Thursday: 10 miles easy (7:30 pace)

Friday: 6.5 miles easy

Saturday: 21 Miles: 1:58:00 (5:37 pace)

Sunday: 16 Miles total(stop and go-cheering for MCM)

TOTAL: 98 Miles

Army 10 Miler Race Report

 

 

RESULT: 24TH PLACE

 

TIME: 51:44, PR*

 

PACE: 5:10

 

I arrived at the Pentagon parking lot at 6:20 AM.  I chilled out in my car for a bit, and then headed towards the race starting area around 6:45 AM.  Crowds of runners everywhere.  This race was HUGE.  Too many people.  I made my way to the baggage area to drop off some stuff and do a warm-up.  I made the warm-up pretty short(10 min), and did plenty of stretching.  We lined up on the front start line behind the wounded warriors and wheelchair athletes.  An honorable event this is.  There was a moment of silence in remembrance of lost soldiers/fighters/loved ones overseas.  The sun came up quietly in the distance, with a beautiful clear blue sky for it to fill up.  I found Matt at the start and we got ready in position. 

 

BOOM!

 

We blasted out on Jefferson Davis Highway.  I went out conservative and felt pretty relaxed.  Plenty of runners started out in front of me.  I hit Mile 1 in 5:10.  We then made our way uphill around the ramp towards the Arlington Bridge.  I then began to pump my arms a bit and pass runners.  I moved up not too far away from Sam Luff(GRC's top runner), up ahead.  We then crossed the Arlington Bridge and the sun was strong.  Should've worn the shades, dammit.  I saw Beth and her Mom cheering at the end of the bridge in front of the Lincoln Memorial.  I also heard the GRC guys cheering for me, then behind me Jake and Dave, who I knew were salivating to catch me.  I hit Mile 2 in 10:20, another 5:10 split.  I surged onto Constitution Avenue and ditched my gloves around Mile 2.5.  We ran on the rolling Virginia Avenue.  Mile 3 was 15:20s(closer to 5:00 split).  I was rolling.  I came up on a runner in red and together we worked back and forth for a bit.  I ended up meeting him after the race-he came all the way from Alabama.  We made another turn and blasted towards the Kennedy Center.  Mile 4: 20:30ish(5:10 split). 



 We went underneath the Arlington Bridge up towards Independence Avenue.  I saw Beth and her Mom again cheering.  I wanted to stop and kiss/hug her.  Gotta keep going though...

Mile 5: 25:35(5:15 split).  A little slow, but I was in perfect position for +/- 51:00.  This course was also not easy, in my opinion.  There were lots of turns, and the inclines were certainly more prevalent than the Cherry Blossom course.  I pushed on through to the second half of the race, where the pain begins to set in...

I continued down Independence...alone.  The runner in red had gone up ahead with Sam and a few others.  I split 31:54(5:08 pace) at 10K.  I kept them in my sight, but it was difficult to reel them in.  I could also hear Jake and Dave and a few others not far behind, which was motivating.  So I ran scared.  Crowds were all over the place as I headed towards our Nation's Capitol.  Racing in DC is f%ckin awesome.  I then made the awkward square loop that had like 4 turns.  That sucked.  I headed back on Independence towards the 14th Street Bridge.  I split a few ticks over 36:00 at the 7 mile mark.  3 miles to go.  Time get tough.

Well, the 14th street bridge was tough.  I could see some runners up ahead, but was still running alone.  I know how to push myself though.  I hammered across the bridge and my endurance was there.  My turnover was still good, and I climbed up the gradual inclines steadily.  I could hear, however, Jake and Dave not far behind.  Mile 8 I split a 5:15, which was a little slow again but also I was going slightly uphill.  I knew I had enough left to finish strong the last 2 miles.  I just had to get across this damn bridge! 

The bridge seemed like it would never end.  I then hit Mile 9 in 46:30(a 5:12 split), but I heard footsteps behind me.  Son of a bitch.  I made the downhill exit off the bridge(thank god).  The runner was close behind.  Who was it?  I immediately guessed it was GRC's #2 man Jake running me down.  Dammit.  I surged as I made a right turn up the freeway toward the finish.  Not far now.  Just hold on!!!

The runner then came up on me and surged in front.  I was surprised to notice it was not Jake.  This guy was a GIANT, easily a foot taller than I(or so it seemed).  He was coming on strong.  He had an American flag on the back of his jersey. 

He would not win that easy.  I am never easy to beat.  I will make it hell for him to beat me.    

I hung on to him and surged to make a move, sprinting ahead.  People cheered as we roared towards the finish.  He then ran up beside me and passed me again.

Dammit. 

I didn't have much left.  I surged one last move on him but was no match for his last kick.  He beat me in the last 50 yards and I settled but ran strong toward the finish.

I'm not sure if it was or not, but I have heard rumors of the course being a bit long. Jake Klim, who I find knows many of DC's races all too well, and is not the type of person to question distances usually, writes about the course: check out his blog www.jakeklim.blogspot.com.

At any rate, I am happy with the effort I gave and how strong I felt.  My target was 51:00 give or take, and this was a great turnaround for me from last month's half marathon. I am feeling great.

I am also very proud of Maria who PRed by 2+ minutes(also weaving around slower runners) to finish in 82:00. 

 

I went right into high mileage again this week, in preparation for the marathon.  The day after the race I actually ran 17 miles.  I did not do a trackworkout this week though so I could recover from the intensity, in anticipation of a hard long run this Saturday.  Should be over 100 this week.