Sunday, February 25, 2018

Boston Marathon Training Week # 11

Injury struck, but knock on wood have been able to run through. Though I have had moments of high anxiety, doubts, self pity. My Achilles as of now is fine; its the top of my right foot that is causing me such consternation. Dull pain along the top middle, sort of extending out at times along the individual toe muscle bones and tendons, accompanied by some light swelling. Icing, taking turmeric supplements, and started eating some fruits like blackberries to aid in the reduction of the inflammation.

But I run on, and rack up the miles. Another week over eighty, with two solid workouts thrown in, on seven total runs. No rest days again. Part of my 34 days in the valley planned stretch of high intensity training. No idea why/ where I came up with the name from. But I like it.

Tuesday was kind of feeling sorry for myself. Didn't want to have to do 17 miles after work, in the dark, on a sore foot. A run that would include 8 x 1000m. But I did it, one step at a time, Thought about what Zatopek would do, as I finished reading a biography on him. And how he would say something to the effect of, as long as I my legs can keep moving, I keep running. No excuses.

Though I fret and worry that it is something more serious like a dreaded stress fracture, which people unbeknownst, run through all the time. Until the finally cant. And as Amie suggested wisely, don't Google it. And I said, self diagnosis is a fool's errand. Though by the end of the week, I am more optimistic. Just got play whatever cards I am dealt right?

Felt real good, and real encouraged after Saturday's 13 miles at M pace. Able to consistently run in the mid 6:40s. Could have gone a few more I think too. Hit 16 miles in the run/ workout at 1:51 and change- did the math, and realized I would have needed to run 10.2 miles in 1:09 to break 3. I'm going to keep chasing this dream-man do I want it.

So that helps motivate me to keep the hammer down. Train like you stole it is becoming a mantra of mine.

Warm temps almost the whole week. Humidity too. Shucked tank top during both Tues/ at WOs

Week # 11 (2/19/18-2/25/18)

Total miles: 83.4

Monday: 9 miles. 1.5- 2 miles normal pace hills CBSP Yellow blaze, sugarloaf trails. Roads rest of way. 6 x 150 I/O strides.  Some soreness top of foot, Achilles ok. Run time- 1:15 (8:21 pace)

Tuesday: 17 miles. WO2. 8 + (8 x 1,000m, w/ 2 min jog recovery) + 2.5. See above for mental outlook going into. Fretted too about where to get the first 8 miles. Did some on farm, kept going back and forth on dirt road, hitting yellow gate at one end. Lifted my spirits. Set up 1,000m course new neighborhoods off Ocean Blvd. Went one way, then back 4xs. Felt pretty strong, trying to run 3:45 (6:00 pace). Strava had fasted at 3:28. Looks like I negative split them too. Achilles held up; some top of foot pain. So exhausted latter stages, I forgot how many miles supposed to do, or miscalculated how many left per having total off. Also on c/d couldn't quite figure out where I was, lost track of if had crossed over Ocean. Kinda cool in a perverse way. Run time- 2:10:35 (7:39 pace)

Wednesday: 8.3 miles. Easy in CBSP and a few on the roads. Felt ok. Run time- 1:14:50 (9:01 pace)

Thursday: 10.02 miles. CBSP hills, 10 x yellow blaze hill front and back sides. Ran fairly hard, legs going to jelly near top of hills. Finished on roads and boardwalk. Felt almost high mentally/ spiritually last few miles in the dark closer to ocean. Good vibe. Run time- 1:25:14 (8:30 pace)

Friday: 11.15 miles. Early morning run again so can have 24+ hour rest before Saturday WO. River road loop. Decent run but legs felt pretty beat up from the hills the night before. Warm, foggy morning. Steady pace. Getting mileage in run. Run time- 1:30:03 (8:04 pace)

Saturday: 18 miles. WO1. 3 + 13M + 2. W/U on farm, then took rout down into KB, back thru back roads, Snows Cut bridge 2x, some of North End. Solid workout. Got caught in some tropical like downpours early, started a little past 6am. M splits: 6:43, 6:45, 6:42, 6:45, 6:45, 6:43, 6:44, 6:49, 6:44, 6:40, 6:36, 6:43, 6:40. Putting myself in position, or sub3 in the crosshairs as I posted on my IG page. Also posted pics of KB pier on the Boston Training FB page.  Run time- 2:07:08 (7:04 pace)

Sunday: 9.92 miles. CBSP w/ Colin, Josh, Justin F. Easier trail miles, good times. Talking about all of our upcoming marathons. They eventually did 20. Legs felt alright after Saturday. Run time- 1:28:11 (8:53 pace)

Sunday, February 18, 2018

Boston Marathon Training Week # 10

I felt it Tuesday night on my last set of threshold miles; a sharp pain in my right calf, like bad cramps. But it was actually my Achilles tendon that was hurting. Same injury I had a few years ago coming off one of my ultra marathons. And accompanied again by the same pain on top of the foot (I don't know how the two are related, and I haven't done any research into. But imagine the two must be connected).

Thankfully, I am able to run through, at least as of this writing on Sunday afternoon. Been foam rolling the Achilles tendon, stretching more, and icing it and the top of my foot. As I've written before, its hard to get through a marathon training program without some bumps or interruptions in the journey.

And it helped me more acutely appreciate each run; not knowing at the onset if I'd be able to finish, or just so much running, and at what intensity I'd even be able to do. Helps to also empathize with others dealing with injuries, illnesses, or other setbacks. Such as on the social media pages I follow and comment on about the Boston Marathon. In fact the official Boston Marathon Facebook page today had a post about setbacks, challenges; an open forum to vent a little, and to also offer each other encouragement.

Nonetheless, did manage a solid week, with mileage totals above 80. Two fairly solid workouts, and some more hills.

Started using my second pair of Saucony Kinetta Relays I had bought online just after Christmas. Most times I get hurt, or have more serious pain problems is when I've worn shoes too long. Might order another pair of Nikes too that I use more as everyday trainers. Here's hoping, and here's praying for any and all of us who are dinged, sick, or otherwise being sidetracked from the training that we want to be doing, that our collective trajectories head upwards in the coming days and weeks.

Week #10 (2/12/18-2/18/18)

Total miles: 81.8


Monday: 9.09 miles. Got some hills in before dark in Carolina Beach State Park on the yellow blaze and Sugarloaf trails. Normal pace. Run time- 1:21:02 (8:55 pace)

Tuesday:  16 miles. WO2. 5 + (2 x 3T w/ 3 min jogs) + 2T + 2. Cooler (40s), windy night. Felt good initially legs did, validating benefits of a cut back week the week before. Until the aforementioned Achilles flared. Tough T miles running into the wind, and crossing Snow's Cut Bridge. Could not get pace much under 6:50 even though felt good, and like I was running much faster. Took River Rd to bridge under construction. Never again in the evening in the dark, as traffic was fast and scary close. Full T miles: 6:49, 6:51, 6:39...  6:27, 6:23...6:32.  Run time- 1:55:14 (7:12 pace)

Wednesday:  7.52 miles. Achilles sore, so was just trying to get some distance in. Was unsure if would hold enough to run, but did, though fairly painful at times. Took the farm, off road for as many miles as I could. Mild out, but couldn't appreciate as much as I would have liked to. Thought about how I am training on the knife's edge, and sometimes you get cut. But also makes even more determined to run through, though knowing that some rest at some point may be necessary. Run time- 1:08:52 (9:10 pace)

Thursday:  13.18 miles. CBSP + to the North end and back. Pleased with the mileage I was able to get in, as leg did not get any worse, and was able to handle the distance, though top of foot began to also bother me more. Good set of hill repeats in CBSP; went for about twenty minutes, 2.7 miles as sort of a tempo run on yellow blazes/ sugar loaf hill areas. Blasting a few of the steeper down hills as well. Added 6 x 150 I/O striders on the road later in the run. Run time- 1:45:39 (8:02 pace)

Friday: 8.93 miles. Early morning in Carolina Beach, north end and back. Decent run, some pain but again tolerable, and wasn't getting worse. Did get to dig some of the early morning tranquility. Quite mild, and a bit humid. Searched for a truck in a neighborhood with Watson on it. Found just as I came upon another runner in the dark, though stayed about a half block behind as to not spook. Also saw 5 deer cross a road, kind of ran behind them for a short stretch which was cool. Easier pace, wanted to go early as to have full day before next WO Saturday am.  Run time- 1:17:16 (8:45 pace).

Saturday: 18 miles. WO1. 4 + 8M + 1T + 3M + 2. Shallotte, started and ended from Dads house. Took usual long route Copas Road-town-Smith road loop. Wore new Sauconys. Some pain off and on, and some sharper Achilles pain near end of last M mile, but overall was tolerable. Good, solid effort and paces. Was some pesky wind at times too, though temps ideal about 50, and cloudy. Splits: 6:55, 6:50, 6:42, 6:48, 6:52, 6:37, 6:56, 6:40, 6:18, 6:51, 6:34, 6:48.  Run time- 2:07:57 (7:06 pace)

Sunday: 9.22 miles. Shallotte- Copas Road loop, mostly off road. Easy miles, was enjoyable. Not too much pain. Legs overall not too beat up from Saturday, just a bit tight/ heavy early. Run time- 1:19:59 (8:40 pace).

Sunday, February 11, 2018

Boston Marathon Training Week # 9

Took a recovery/ cut back week. Figured it was a good time to do so, since I'm at about the halfway point of the 18 week plan. Plus coming off of two big mileage weeks in the low to mid 80s, coupled with a fair amount of intensity, including a 15k race. Took 3 days off, and got 60 miles in on just four runs.

Feel good about where I am right now. Won't elaborate on some aspects of the further, to avoid perhaps jinxing myself. But perhaps just by alluding to, the Pandora's box has been opened. Who says runners are superstitious?

Weather bounced around again from cold, to warm, to rain. I did one run real early in the morning, almost entirely in darkness. Ran another in and out of the rain. Over dressed on a run too, and was too stubborn to go back home and shed some clothes.

Hard effort on an 18 miler, w/ 14 at goal marathon pace- the most consecutive M miles I've been asked by Jack Daniels to do. Also a steady 20 miler, where I found myself having to slow the pace down a half click at times. A positive sign indeed. Got some striders in on one run, and continue to incorporate some hills when I can, though I have nagging doubts that I am not doing enough of. Though I read one person's account of the Boston course who downplayed how bad the hills actually are, in lieu of what he had been warned.

But I know this is going to be one of those races on multiple fronts that I am just going to have to experience for myself. No amount of reading, or verbal accounts will be able to fully prepare me for the unique physical challenges of the course, as well as the myriad of other factors mentally and spiritually. Though I train as if this could be my only shot at Boston- as I said via a text to some friends, "I'm all in."

Planning a trip to Umstead for a long, and hilly trail training run the first weekend in March with some of the my fellow Wilmington area Boston bound peeps.

Eye popping stat: 453 miles already in 2018. Yowser!


Week #9 (2/5/18- 2/11/18)

Total miles: 60.0


Monday: Rest/ recovery

Tuesday: 18 miles. WO2. 2 + 14M + 2. Carolina Beach roads + River Road, Snows Cut bridge 2x. Ran hard and pushed pace from the get-go. Held up pretty well throughout, though did take a heavier toll on my legs near the end. Stayed fairly consistent pace wise, and was pleased to hit an average of the whole 18 miles sub 7 minute pace. Average about 6:49 pace for the 14M miles. Warmer afternoon, temps low-mid 60s with a little humidity, and a tough breeze 2-3 miles coming back down River Road. Run time- 2:05:45 (6:59 pace)

Wednesday: 8.03 miles. Easy miles on Farm and into Kure Beach. Fairly enjoyable run dusk/ dark. Was also mild out again. Legs pretty beat up but runnable. Run time- 1:16:41 (9:33 pace)

Thursday: Rest/ recovery. Last minute decision to switch up to a Friday morning run. Get some extra rest from Tuesday's hard effort

Friday: 14 miles. Carolina Beach loop + River Road and back. Ran early in the morning, left out at 4:41am. Real dark parts of River Road. Felt kind of spiritual. Listening just to footballs and breathing. Blessed to be out, after some tougher news. Steady pace, plus 8 x 150m I/O striders in 10, 11th mile. Colder out.  Run time- 1:48:07 (7:43 pace)

Saturday: 20 miles. WO1. Steady 20 miles. Took a new road loop: North End, CB Road, Cathay, back thru AHS/ Vets parks ground, back down CB road. Rained on and off, wore slicker first 4 miles then abandoned. Was milder, near 60, but humid. Legs felt decent, some natural fatigue latter half of run, but ran a lot of mid 7s miles without too much effort. Thinking about article posted by Kim M on FB about running long runs too fast (which I had read before). Got water at my old spot, hose on the side of one of the gas stations by CB-Cathay intersection. Hit a few small hills + 4-5 miles CB road slight uphill. Run time- 2:34:18 (7:42 pace)

Sunday: Rest/ recovery. Decided later Saturday to take another rest day today.


Sunday, February 4, 2018

Boston Marathon Training Week # 8

Sunday morning and I just got done doing some hill repeats in the Carolina Beach State Park. Running back thru a section I named the furnace (because of the white sand in summer), I heard the sound of the ocean's surf way off in the distance. Around me the rain fell light but steady, as I looked over at the swamp like pond just adjacent to me. At the end of another week over eighty plus miles, the scene was dam near beyond magical to me. For a few moments I felt like I was lost in time and space...all the miles, all the miles

But at times during the week I struggled mightily-not physically, but mentally, spiritually, logging all the aforementioned miles. Out there in the dark, in the cold, questing why am I doing all of this to myself. Why do I always seem to have the incessant need to take things to the extreme?  So I tried to stay glued to the discipline, searching for the joy in the rigor.

I did decide to temporarily suspend the each mile mantra, or saying it after mile. Just felt like I needed to take a break on that, and needed something new. Though I continued to give thanks for each mile completed.

There are always ups and down in this. So I try to stay somewhat on an even keel. Not to high with the highs, and don't let the lows get me too low. Put one foot in front of the other; persevere, no matter the obstacles

Ran all seven days this week too, which was a first. Plus a bunch more miles in the dark, and also in the cold (freezing cold early Saturday). New weekly high on this training cycle, and I think second highest mpw in my life. Also ended the month of January with 343 miles, which I am fairly certain is a personal record.

Nearing the half way point. Hard to believe, and I almost got a bit nostalgic for it all, though its way, way to early for any of that. Onward and upward, as always...

Week #8 (1/29/18-2/4/18)

Total miles: 84.6


Monday:  6.79 miles. Easy/ recovery miles in CB State Park and roads of CB. Legs not too bad coming off of 15k race the morning before. Awesome view of super moon when cresting big Yellow Blazes hill.  Day and a half recovery too as ran in early evening. Run time- 1:04:53 (9:33 pace)

Tuesday:  10.22 miles. CBSP + CB roads. Took the yellow blaze/ sugar loaf hill a couple of times before darkness fully settled in and I had to get back onto the roads. Run was a bit of a grind at times mentally- sort of slogging the miles just to get the mileage in. Physically didn't feel too bad. Stretched run out by heading down North End and then coming back on boardwalk. Thought being right by ocean might buoy spirits.  Run time- 1:27:41 (8:35 pace)

Wednesday:  17.05 miles. WO2. 8 + 6 x 1000m I pace, jog recover rest of mile + 4 x 400m w/ 400m recovery jog + 1. A pretty solid workout, though legs didn't quite have a top end gear, or as much as pop as they sometimes would. Likely some lingering effects from the race Sunday and the overall accumulation of mileage of late. Ran the 1000s fairly decent, though was hard pressed to break 3:45 like last time I did in WO. Closer to 3:50, or low 6s pace. 400s in mid 1:20s. But overall pleased with effort and results. Run time- 2:08:41 (7:33 pace)

Thursday: 8.1 miles. CBSP + CB roads. Easy pace, legs pretty beat up. A get the mileage in again kind of run. Wanted to skip. Had to keep convincing myself to get another mile in, because it would reduce what I would need the rest of the week, minus the 2nd WO mileage. Though it was much milder out which was nice. Run time-1:15:43 (9:21 pace)

Friday: 11.08 miles. CB roads, to North end and back. 8 x 150m I/O striders in last 2-3 miles. Ran at a bit of a quicker pace, though kept thinking in first few miles when watched beeped that I seemed to be going faster than what my splits were. Probably another sign of some accumulated fatigue. Plus was a long week at work. Knocked out the miles though and felt a little better mentally doing so than some of the runs earlier in the week. Lot of thoughts about running and eating over the weekend, and getting excited for my Eagles in the super bowl  Run time- 1:28:16 (7:58 pace).

Saturday: 19 miles. WO1. 8 + 3T + 8. CB across Snows Cut bridge and up River Rd, plus a loop thru neighborhood by Amie's. Even looked for her (just missed it turns out). Plus North End and back. Very cold out at 6am when run began in pitch dark. Temps in hi 20s with wind chill around 20. Wore hoorag over face for some of the earlier miles. Surprised pleasantly w/ paces on T miles since felt like couldn't quite get legs to turnover like I wanted. Splits 6:28, 6:24, 6:35. Ran last 8 miles mostly in 7:20s/ 7:30s while feeling like wasn't killing myself to do so. Did a bunch of math to pass time and was shooting for sub 2:25. Good effort and results, again considering too the cold and amount of gear I wore. Run time- 2:21:43 (7:27 pace)

Sunday: 12.38 miles. Mostly CB trails. Did hill workout after about 7-8 miles. Same area of Yellow Blazes and Sugarloaf getting about 8 in. Also took some of the down hills pretty fast. Pace was up hill wasn't killer, but increased tempo to probably around 7:00ish. Legs a bit heavy/ sore from Saturday but held up ok. Started to rain while on hills, and kept thinking was appropriate in one of those "how bad do you want it" kind of ways.  Run time- 1:47:43 (8:43 pace)