The Chicago Marathon is here. I am tapered and ready to go. This post is a review of the training I have done leading up to this race and my race plan.
My training for this Marathon ended up being 23 weeks long, with a mileage high and personal best of 115, and low was 46 last week(this final week with the marathon will be around +/- 60. My average for the 23 week period hovers roughly around 75/week. I am in shape. I know based off my workouts this summer I should be ready to roll to a new PR. The summer races I did were solid workouts and the month of September was fantastic. In fact, I ran my best marathon workouts ever during September.
Key Training Workouts/Long Runs:
May:
5/13: 16 Mile Medium Long Run
5/17: 18 Mile Long Run
TOTAL MONTHLY MILEAGE: 253
June:
6/6: Capital Crescent 5K: 16:18, 2nd Place
6/12: Lawyers Have Heart 10K: 34:16, 7th place, 16 Miles Total
6/13: 14 Mile Medium Long Run
6/16: 17 Mile Long Run
6/20: 14 Mile Medium Long Run
6/23: 16 Mile Medium Long Run
6/26: Epic Duel Ferries Run(2 Loops=20.5 Miles) with Jake, Joe, Dickson, & Karl in 2:06, a new GRC record but Wiggy ran the fastest in 2:02, a memorable run & my bday
TOTAL MONTHLY MILEAGE: 317
July:
7/04: Autism Speaks 5K, 16:19, 2nd Place, 19 Miles Total
7/11: 17 Mile Long Run
7/17: Rockville Twilight 8K: 26:50, 13 Miles Total
7/18: 18 Mile Long Run
7/25: Riley's Rumble 13.1: 1:25:00, 17 Miles Total, very hilly run
7/28: 16 Mile Medium Long Run
7/30: 18 Mile Long Run
TOTAL MONTHLY MILEAGE: 420
August:
8/01: 17 Mile Long Run
8/03: 15 Mile Medium Long Run
8/06: 18 Mile Long Run
8/08: 15 Mile Medium Long Run
8/21: Parkersburg Half Marathon: 1:16:36 on a very hilly course. 17 Miles Total. Good breakout run to turn up the intensity. 7 Weeks Out.
8/26: 16 Mile Medium Long Run
8/28: CJs C and O Canal 5K: 17:15, 1st Place
8/29: 18 Mile Long Run
TOTAL MONTHLY MILEAGE: 314
September:
9/05: 18 Mile Long Run
9/06: 10.5 Miles @ 5:49 pace, 11 Miles Total
9/13: 14.5 Miles @ 5:49 pace, 15.5 Miles Total
9/19: 16 Miles @ 5:44 pace-very close to race pace(2:30:00), in trainers-felt solid
9/26: 20 Miles @ 5:58 pace-this felt EASY and relaxed, and this was 2:36 pace!
TOTAL MONTHLY MILEAGE: 308
My best workouts were by far in September. The highest mileage month was July. I guess my one weakness when I analyze this is that I didn't do much interval work on the track-although I used a few 5Ks as workouts-I have always been more of a tempo guy and the interval work I usually find myself doing comes AFTER I run a major marathon and step back down to the 10K distance.
Interesting Stat: My Total YEARLY Mileage after last week is 2626. The 26s just before my final week are a little too coincidental...I suppose the final .2 lies in the last week.
With fresh legs, good weather, a flat course, racing flats, and the COMPETITION I have a shot at the 2:30:00 barrier. HOWEVER, I need to not get ahead of myself and stay in CONTROL. I must go out conservative(in a way I am happy I am right behind the Elite 100). The goal is to hit 1:15 and change at the half and stay on pace and gradually increase the pace to run slightly negative. This is the most realistic way I will break 2:30:00. At the same time, I will be aware of my pace and make sure NOT to go out too hard. This is critical. The best marathons I have run have been run evenly...in fact the best races I have run have been run this way. Cherry Blossom was a great example. I was being passed by so many runners in the first half of the race that it felt like I was slowing tremendously. The Second Half I passed a lot of people and it felt like I was running faster but really I was just running more or less even the whole way.
In Frederick I felt fantastic(for having run 20 miles) with about 6 miles to go, and passed 2nd and 3rd place to move from 4th to 2nd overall.
ALL I KNOW IS, I'M GONNA GIVE ONE HELLUVA FIGHT!!!!!
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