Boston: Week 9

Goal setting
The last week was a good one.  After speedwork on Tuesday, the rest of the work week forced me to cram an 8-mile tempo run, a 4-mile race, and a 14-mile regular long run (all with hills) into three consecutive days.  The tempo run was at 7:30/mile, the race at 6:51 - and even though I tried to slow myself down, the long run ended up being at 8:09.

I am way ahead of where I was at before New York City last fall, which is not surprising since I was not training as much for that one.  Looking at my training leading up to San Diego last June, I see a lot of comparisons to where I was at then to where I am at now.  This invites the inevitable thought...can I shoot for a PR in Boston, since I got one in San Diego???

Absurd.  Totally absurd....isn't it?  Maybe not.  Up until about Mile 17 in San Diego, I was running at a pace that would have had me finishing at 3:15:00 or better, but I slowed down when the sun came out to ensure I had enough for the last few miles (thank God).  San Diego didn't have a Heartbreak Hill, but it had Fiesta Island in Mission Bay - which I refer to as "desert of pain."  However, I also got a bit lucky in San Diego in that I ran the first half entirely too fast, and I was lucky that I had enough in the tank to finish the race and qualify for Boston.

Here is the reality.  This will probably be one of my only chances to ever run Boston, since the registration process and qualifying standards are changing starting this fall for next April's marathon.  Not that I think I will ever want to run Boston again, but the only way I can for the next 5 years is to run 3:15:00 or better.  My 3:17:51 in San Diego wouldn't have gotten me in...and that one nearly killed me!  However, it seems that perhaps the improbable ought to be the goal...

So now that I am in Week 10 - with just over three weeks left of hard training before I start to taper toward Boston - it is time to set my goals for April 18.

1. Finish in 3:15:00 or better
2. Finish under 3:30:00
3. Finish (this is always the main goal, no matter what!)

Sunday's Long Run