A good start to my 40's

6 Weeks, 3 PR's (4 if you count the heart rate)

I can't lie.  The six weeks between the Boston Marathon and the BolderBoulder should have been a tale of progressive decline culminating in abject failure in Boulder.  Instead, I'm going into the summer having just set three personal records in three different distances in exactly six weeks.

I wasn't shy about the fact that after Boston, I didn't restrict myself too much on my diet and my weekly mileage dropped off substantially.  The mileage reduction was a necessity at first, after pounding out so many miles training and then not being able to walk so well for a week after Boston.  However, it would have been a good idea not to eat everything in the pantry during that same period.  While I certainly learned my lesson on pre-race meals before the Colfax Half Marathon, that didn't stop me from gorging myself at and after a Rockies game two days before the BolderBoulder.

When the gun sounded in Bolder at 7:02 a.m. on Monday, I had already mentally prepared myself for the wall I was sure to hit as I climbed the first three miles.  Yet, as I cruised past the belly dancers an through Mile 2 and into the neighborhoods, I felt good.  I decided to try to keep my pace under 7:00/mile and see if I could make a run at my PR. I passed Mile 3 under seven minutes and still felt like I had a lot of gas in the tank - especially since I knew it was downhill from just before Mile 4 until nearly the end.

Coming down into downtown, I felt good enough to push it again and sped up.  Unlike my last BolderBoulder, I didn't find myself trapped in some of the crowds going up after making the turn just passed Mile 5 onto Folsom and was able to run the pace I wanted.  At this point, I was starting to run out of gas, and the slow incline toward Folsom Field pushed my heart rate up to 180 bpm.  That's the point where I usually start backing off a little bit - before I get to 185 bpm - but I wanted to push through to the end.

Running into Folsom Field is about the closest anyone could ever get to finishing an Olympic marathon, although there aren't too many people there before 8:00 a.m. so there aren't quite the cheering crowds that the elite athletes get later in the morning.  I pushed past Mile 6 just outside the stadium, up the last serious incline before dropping into the stadium at field level.  I ran the last 0.2 miles at a 6:12 pace and finished in 41:47.  It was a PR by 1:21 and meant I ran about a 6:43/mile pace. Oh - and my heart rate was 192 bpm when I finished.  Oops...

Splits
  mile 1: 6:44.05
  mile 2: 6:41.59
  mile 3: 6:55.10
  mile 4: 6:49.16
  mile 5: 6:41.19
  mile 6: 6:36.15

  net time: 41:47.07
  pace:06:43
  http://bolderboulder2011.onlineraceresults.com/individual.php?bib=AB216

I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to do that again, and the same goes for the marathon and half-marathon PR's that came in April and May, as well.  Although, I will want to beat those times, I guess I don't really care anymore if I do.  I'm at peace with regret I had been feeling for not doing all this 10-15 years earlier when I might have had the chance to keep getting faster.

Once more unto the breach...
June 27 began another trek toward a 26.2 mile adventure.  The PR's of April and May are history, but I may have set a PR in food and beer consumed since Boston.

Next up is the Columbus Marathon on October 16.  Summer training means dragging my butt out of bed in the morning while it is still cool outside.  I love it once I'm out there, but it is the getting up and moving part that always seems to be hard than the run itself.  I decided to set my primary goal at 3:15:00 so that I could say that I can qualify for Boston under the upcoming more stringent qualifying standards.  We'll see.

I am utilizing a custom training grid that I put together only slightly modified from the one I used for Boston and the Rock 'N' Roll San Diego Marathon in June 2010.  Stay tuned!!

Kaiser Permanente Colfax Half-Marathon

I signed up for the Colfax Half-Marathon before I ran Boston - mostly because I wanted to guarantee that I wouldn't just slack off completely when I got back from Boston.  That is what happened after San Diego and, to some extent, New York.  I was not planning on trying to go too fast, and I certainly wasn't going to try to beat my PR set last April at the Platte River Half - which is almost all downhill.

However, I always reserve the right to remain inspired...

Sunday turned out to be a perfect day to be inspired.  The weather was perfect for a run.  The downside to that means it is usually freezing before the run, and that was the case.  38 degrees and light rain, and the race started at 6:00 AM.  Fortunately, I got there early and was able to park close so I could strip out of my warm clothes and run right into the start corrals.

As it turns out, I had not quite taken this race seriously - and I paid for it.  I was, indeed, inspired and ended up with a PR, but that's not the whole story. While I may have kept running after Boston to avoid slacking off, I did not restrict myself too much on what I crammed in my mouth.  I would not have allowed that long term, regardless, but I wasn't really thinking about it when I had protein and fiber-filled veggie burgers Saturday night before the race instead of my usual pasta or something plain.

As I exited City Park after the race began, I knew I was feeling like I had some speed in me.  Even trying to carve my way through all the people in the beginning, I managed 7:12, 7:02, and 7:09 in the first three miles.  The first six miles are east on Colfax and slightly uphill, and I managed to keep my pace averaging around 7:15. I knew that could keep me on a pace to PR, especially when going back toward City Park down 17th would be downhill.  However, starting around Mile 5, something started poking at my stomach from the inside...and I started thinking I was going to have a problem.  I would have taken care of it right then, but there were no facilities at each of the aid stations I passed.  By the time I ran through the Aurora Fire Department's open firehouse toward the end of Mile 7, I was getting desperate.  I ran Mile 8 in 6:54 and just past the mile marker was a place to stop...thank God.

The pit stop took two minutes, and I was quite sure that ended my chance to get the PR.  Once I got going again and got my shorts readjusted on the fly (everything was all twisted around...very uncomfortable), I realized I had run Mile 10 in 6:57.  As much as I hate doing math - especially when it involves time - I started doing some calculations.  "Crap," I said out loud to no one. "I still have a chance."

Although I wanted at a couple different points to just slow down and bag trying for the PR, those moments were short-lived.  Running down 17th Street toward City Park is downhill and very pretty so I just put my head down and went for it.  Mile 11 in 6:50 and on into City Park. Mile 12 in 6:40, Mile 13 in 6:33, and the home stretch at a 6:19 pace. 

And wouldn't you know it? 1:34:24.  A PR by a whopping 24 seconds.

I don't think I'll try to do it like that again, but I'm pretty sure I've got a 1:33:00 in me.

Next up - the BolderBoulder. Last October's Fans On The Field 10k - a 43:09 - will be pretty tough to beat, especially in Boulder.  But I reserve the right to be inspired on race day. :)

My Boston Marathon - April 18, 2011

Patriots Day - The 115th Boston Marathon

My alarm was set for 4:15 AM.  I knew that I would have enough energy and adrenaline to overcome a sleepiness that I felt, and I wanted to have time to take a quick shower and slowly go through my whole checklist before I departed for Boston Common to catch the bus to Hopkinton.  Not knowing how that was all going to work, I decided to make sure I was there at 5:45.

As it turned out, I woke up at 3:30 AM - long before my alarm was to go off but amazingly refreshed.  I went to bed a decent hour and slept like a rock.  I laid in bed for a while and just thought about what the day had in store, and then went about getting ready to go.

It was chilly and very windy waiting for the bus so I was glad to be able to get on the first wave going out.  I recall thinking how long it took to get to Hopkinton, and then it occurred to be it had a lot to do with the fact that it was a long way from Boston to Hopkinton...and I was going to run back!  I followed some advice I got and ate my breakfast on the way there, and continued to hydrate.  It turns out that my biggest worry about marathon day has nothing to do with the marathon, but rather whether or not I'll be able to "take care of business" well enough that it doesn't become an issue while I am running.  It occurs to me repeatedly as I am drinking fluids and eating food.  "Please, Lord...give me enough time to..." well, you know.

Athletes Village

It is nothing like a village at all.  They never are.  However, there was food and liquids for those that were willing to tempt fate with things they don't usually eat while training or racing, and plenty of porta-potties for the early arrivals.  After arriving in the village around 6:40, I found a spot out of the wind and laid down.  For most of the time, I just stayed warm, dry, and relaxed.  It must have worked, as a check of my resting heart rate revealed 58 bpm.



Relaxing in Athletes Village (aka Hopkinton High School's baseball field)

I made sure to visit the porta-potties about 3 times so there were no surprises during the run. Around 9:15, I dropped my stuff off at the bag drop and started the 0.7 mile walk down the street toward the start line, making sure to hit the toilets behind the market for one last pit stop.  By the time I got to the start area, the National Anthem had just started.  I peeled off my cheap sweats I bought at Wal-Mart and chucked them to the curb, and then I was able to slip right into my corral.

The early miles

10:00 arrived very fast, but I was ready to go.  In retrospect, I could not have timed it any better had I tried, and I am glad for the strategic decisions I made ahead of time so there was no stress before I got underway.

As the bodies pushed forward toward the start line the pace picked up, and I crossed the start line at full speed around 10:06 AM.  I kept repeating the mantra that I had heard several times and read many times more - "don't start out too fast."  The first few miles of the marathon are downhill, and people that don't care if they walk the last few miles are the ones that race down the hill.  My ultimate top goal was 3:15:00, which meant a 7:25 pace. I set my pace at around 7:35 and just cruised to see how I felt.

After a couple of miles, I was feeling pretty good so I increased my pace. The miles went by slowly at first.  It was quiet, with the only real crowd noise coming from the biker bar we passed around Mile 3, I think. At 10k, I was at a 7:30 pace and continued to speed up through almost every successive mile.  In Mile 12, I ran a 7:16 pace, mostly to get away from someone who wouldn't stop talking to me.  I increased my overall pace to 7:28 through the half-marathon point.

Near disaster

One of the parts of the course one hears about the most is around the half-marathon point in Wellesley.  The women of Wellesley College come out en masse to scream at the top of their lungs for all the runners.  Many of the young ladies have signs that say "Kiss Me" or some variation thereof.  While that didn't appeal to me, I did enjoy cupping my hand to my ear to make them yell louder and high-fiving about half of the student population.  And then...

In front of me, a much older gentleman decided to stop on a dime to kiss one of the girls. He did it far enough in front of me that I was able to step to my left to go around him.  Inexplicably, instead of simply smooching and running, the jerk jumped away from the fence to his left right in front of me.  We collided and I stepped on his foot, rolling my ankle over the top of it in the process.  A bolt of pain shot up my leg, and I thought my day was over.  He took off running and I took a few ginger steps and determined nothing was (severely) torn or damaged...and off I went.  I knew that as long as I kept running, any soft tissue injury probably would not bother me until I stopped.  I caught up to my new friend and shared a few choice words with him...and them left that knucklehead in my dust.

No broken ankle so two thumbs up.

The Hills of Newton

Knowing that the hills were ahead, this was my last good chance to shave some time off before slogging up the hills that do not end until Mile 21.

As I pushed through Mile 15, my overall pace had increased to 7:27.  I knew at that point that I would have to crest the hills ahead with enough left in the tanks to increase my pace and run negative splits the last few miles.  Miles 14-16 were at 7:14, 7:23, and 7:17, respectively.

Assessing my legs as I crossed through Mile 16, I knew that was going to be a long shot.  Without the hills, maybe...but the hills were going to take a lot out of me.  I decided to attack the hills and make a final assessment on trying to speed up when I got to the top of Heartbreak Hill.

The hill after Mile 16 was a taste of what was to come, but it was over fairly quickly, and there was plenty of time to recover through about Mile 17.5.  The right turn at the Newton Fire Station signals the official beginning of the Newton Hills, and I knew the first one was right in front of me. I put my head down and gave myself a quick pep talk.  I had been training for this moment in every long run I did, and I wanted to attack the hills - not just survive them. 

The first hill is not a long hill, but the incline was significant. As I crested the hill, I check my heart rate - 180 bpm - and I was concerned that it was that high with 8 miles left.  As the ground flattened over the rest of Mile 18, my heart rate dropped back to 165 and I felt better about the upcoming short hill after Mile 19 .  The second hill spiked my heart rate again, but only for a moment and it was over quickly. Again, my heart rate settled back down, and I started pumping myself up for the final assault.

Heartbreak Hill

I was talking to the hill the whole way up.  My legs were actually going pretty fast, and I was not going let it beat me. Although, there had been consistent crowd noise throughout the last 15 miles or so, it was at this point that I became acutely aware of the crowd...and needed them.  People were picking out specific runners that were struggling, even the guy in the pink tutu that passed me earlier, and directly encouraging them to fight to the top.  Many runners were walking, and I kept thinking to myself "that is not going to be you...not today."  I kept charging up, fighting to keep my pace below 8:00/mile.  My legs were like lead as I neared the top of the hill.  My lungs were on fire.

At the top of hill, my heart rate was back up to 182 and my legs were cooked.  Even though my heart rate dropped back down into the 160's going down the hill the last 5.2 miles into Boston, I would have had to run at an unattainable pace to come close to 3:15:00.  As I let that goal slip away without any regret or remorse, I focused on beating my PR of 3:17:51 at the Rock 'N' Roll San Diego Marathon in June 2010.

The home stretch

All smiles in the home stretch.
(Well, maybe not ALL smiles)

Everything hurt - but I was having fun!  The crowds were amazing, and I knew I was going to finish.  Somewhere along the way, one of the photographers caught me enjoying myself...or maybe it was delirium.

I was focused like a laser now on trying to run my last miles under 7:30 to get myself in a position to achieve the PR.  The crowd kept pushing us all along and raising the energy level.  At each fluid station, I took the Gatorade and then dumped a full cup of cold water on my head.  The jolt seems to propel me when things start to slowly start grinding and my energy is fading. (The downside is that it often looks as though I peed my pants...as if I had any extra body fluids at this point!)

Just before Mile 23, the first and only wave of all-encompassing pain hit me.  Interestingly, this is almost the exact same spot it hit me in both San Diego and New York.  (Something to remember when training for the next one)  My right quad was cramping slightly so I made a deal with myself to stop to walk and stretch it for no more than 30 seconds and then go all out the rest of the way to the finish.  As I pulled my foot behind me to stretch my quad, my hamstring started to cramp. "No, no, no," I said and quickly stretched out the hamstring, walked it out for about 20 seconds and got my ass in gear.  My day was NOT going end there.

The delay cost me time, though.  I decided to push Mile 24 and Mile 25 so I had a shot at the PR in the last 1.2 miles.  The fact that I was able to do math in my head at that point in time is still a bit shocking to me.  I don't remember exactly what what my Garmin said at each point, but after running Mile 24 and Mile 25 at around 7:38 each, I knew from my Garmin time that I needed to run Mile 26 even faster and then it was going to be very close over the last 0.2 miles.

The finish


3:17:39

After a 7:34 in Mile 26, I had to cover the last .2 miles in less than 90 seconds.  "Go to the arms."  That was good advice that I've received from some great runners, and I started pumping them to force my legs to move.  I have no idea where the energy actually came from, but the moment I turned the corner onto Boylston Street (about 0.3 miles from the finish) I was at a dead sprint.

The finish line looked about 10 miles away at that point, but I locked in on the blue arch and tried to run faster.  All I could hear was the crowd.  The noise was amazing, and I found myself alone with no other runners around me. 

Ahead was a pack of runners, and I decided I wanted to beat them all.  Waving to the crowd and asking them for more, I covered the last few hundred yards at a 6:10 pace, weaved through the pack that had been ahead of me, and crossed the finish line in 3:17:39.

12 seconds to spare....

In retrospect

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the experience.  I know that I can run faster with more training.  However, even if I do, I think I am ready to accept that this is the single most significant personal accomplishment that I have ever had and may ever have.  It came for me quickly - as compared to many who try relentlessly over a period of years to qualify - but that does not mean it came easily.  And it didn't happen in solitary.  Without the encouragement of the people that got me running, and the people that challenged me to do more - and without the support and love of my family - none of it could happen.  I don't think I would have the will.

I don't know if I will get back to Boston again.  I don't yet know if I want to. There was something surreal about running in the footsteps of 115 years of marathoners, and in he immediate footsteps of Geoffrey Mutai, who "stunned the world" with his 2:03:02 - the fastest marathon ever, and I don't know if anything I would experience there again could match what I was part of on April 18, 2011.

I know this...

No matter where I run or what I run, I will keep on this path.  There is nothing like the feeling of challenging my limits and overcoming all adversity.  And nothing tastes sweeter than crossing the finish line.

Patriots Day - April 18, 2011 - 115th Boston Marathon

Link here to my Garmin run data



Boston: The Day Before

Energy and anticipation

Boston is buzzing.  I landed early Saturday morning and spent the first part of the day reacquainting myself with Boston, getting some breakfast, and getting my bib and assorted goodies at the marathon expo. The weather wasn't that great, and today isn't too much better - but who cares?  Tomorrow is supposed to be better - but it really doesn't matter (although reports of a potential 15 mph tail wind made me smile)

It is hard to believe I'm here.  When I was first wandering around, I was thinking about the history and prestige of this marathon and wondering if I really belong here.  A whole lot of people train and run marathons trying to qualify and never make it...I did it on my second try.  With all the changes the Boston Athletic Association is adopting to make it harder to get into the marathon starting next year, I am damn lucky to be here.  (I'll have more to say about that after I run)

I do belong here, regardless of how I did it.  I'm still not 100% comfortable with proclaiming that, but I know that it is true.  What I have gained in one short day, is a deeper respect for the event and the people in whose footsteps I will be running tomorrow.  There is an energy that is permeating this whole city, like the charge of a lightning bolt building and readying to flash.  I decided to go soak in more of it today and hopefully get to interact with some of the people that make this event happen.

Interestingly, I'm not nervous.  I'm ready to go, but not anxious at all.  I will have a low-key day today, get some items at the store for tomorrow morning, eat a good meal tonight and get to bed a bit early.  I am in the best shape of my life, dialed in to what I can do, know my plan of attack tomorrow, and (most importantly) ready to have a good time tomorrow doing it.  Come what may, I am craving that indescribable feeling of crossing the finish line - and to be able to do it at the Boston Marathon?  Wow...



It's go time.

See you Monday.

Boston: Week 16

One week...

Hopkinton is waiting for me.

There is no more training I can do that will change anything next Monday.  There are no more long runs.  No more hill repeats.  No more speedwork.

The only thing I can do now is screw something up. Try to make up miles - I won't.  Step in front of a bus - I hope I won't.  Catch a cold. Stub my toe. Whatever.  I'm sure I'll be fine.

I could obsess about the weather.  I won't...although I do check the forecast every now and then just to make sure I know what to pack.  Rain or shine, I'll be on that start line, and (hopefully) three hours and fifteen minutes later, I'll be in Boston.

If it weren't for the support I get at home, even if they think I am a little bit crazy, I would not have been able to do any of this.  My girls are the best.

I watched "Spirit of the Marathon" last week.  The individual stories within that movie are inspiring, and it is a good reminder that just being there is an achievement in itself.  However, there is a mystique to the marathon that is hard to describe - one that I wasn't looking for and didn't expect to see - and the movie captures that to some extent. Once I did one, I was hooked.

It reminded me of a thought that has occurred to me before.  I don't say it much out loud because I really don't want to sound like I am patting myself on the back.  That is hardly the case.  However, I realize how truly lucky I am to have been able to make the changes I did when I did in order to be able to even train for a 10k, let alone a half-marathon.  I am humbled and even more in awe of myself that I finished under 3:30 on my first try and qualified for Boston on my second try.  Who does that?

I've never regretted anything in my life.  It serves no purpose.  But I have to admit a twinge of regret at not realize that I could do this when I was 30.  What might I have been able to do?

Regardless, Monday, April 18 is all about what I still can do.  I can finish.  I can most likely finish under 3:30:00.  I can maybe set a PR and hit my goal of 3:15:00.  No matter what, I will be prepared and I will try my hardest...and I will not be disappointed with the result.

Boston Marathon Finish Line - Boylston Street

Boston: Week 14

The taper begins...

I know my body is not quite ready for April 18, but my mind is already there.  I know from past experience that as my body heals up from training and begins to store up energy, I will start to get anxious and maybe even a bit irritating to those around me.  I don't think I've ever developed "taper madness," like some people get, though.  For me, it is more like slowly stretching a rubber band.  The longer the stretch from the end of Week 13 to Marathon Day, the more tension that builds up.  I think I've handled it pretty well in the past, although this will the first time I've done it in the middle of the legislative session where - let's face it - many of us are on the precipice at any given point during the day as it is.

To keep my mind busy, I've started visualizing the race and plotting my race strategy.  I found an excellent guide on course strategy on the Runner's World website, although the first paragraph of the article promptly inserted a flock (?) of butterflies into my gut:

"'Boston is a course you need to do many times before you get the hang of it,' says Bill Rodgers. 'I know I did.' Coming from a four-time champion, that's saying something. Boston, the world's oldest marathon, isn't just tricky; it's diabolical."

Fantastic...  I'm not going to get to do it many times.  I may only get to do it once.  I certainly don't plan on doing it again, but those words of warning from a great champion serve as notice to be smart on Monday the 18th...and to be realistic. 

I am going for 3:15:00, which would be a PR by 2:51, and I know that is a long shot but an attainable goal.  I also know I may not finish, let alone achieve a PR, if I don't respect the course and run smart.  When I get to the Newton Hills after Mile 17, I hope my training pays off and I can attack take down the hills one at a time up to Heartbreak Hill before descending into Boston during the last 10 kilometers.  I trust my training, and I know it will get me to the finish.  I'll know by the time I crest Heartbreak Hill if it was enough to have a chance of getting across the line in 3:15:00 or less - a 7:26/mile pace.  Holy crap...

My pace in San Diego was 7:33, but the data from my Garmin from that day shows that without my pit stop during Mile 7, my 30-second walk at the Mile 20 water station, and having to stop for about a minute to regroup in Mile 23 I would have been dang close to 3:15:00.  I chose the same training program for Boston as I did for San Diego, except I got in all my speedwork, most of my tempo runs, and I was smarter about how I structured my long runs.

Trust the training.  I've been told that many times, and I do trust it.  Time will tell just how far the training will take me.

"One if by land..."
The Boston Marathon will be on Patriots Day - April 18 - commemorating the 236th anniversary of Paul Revere's ride.  No doubt that will add an extra special flavor to the whole day, but I am reminded that Paul Revere - that lucky SOB - had a horse!

See you in Beantown...

Boston: Week 13

A PR in Boston? I must be nuts...
But that is exactly what I am going to go for.  That's the goal three weeks from now.  3:15:00 or better.  There are a whole lot reasons that it might not happen, and I'll honestly be happy to finish.

After the first half of this week, I would have thought that the prospect of just finishing might be in doubt.  I took a couple of days off after last week's 18-miler because I was feeling run down.  Speedwork went fine on Wednesday, but I could never shake the run down feeling.  On Thursday, I went out for a 10-miler tempo run and crashed right out of the gate.  I cut it short after five miles, and skipped running Friday altogether.  Luckily, I felt better on Saturday and went out for an easy five...and by my last long run of 20 miles today, I felt great.

It was the perfect last long run on a perfect day.  I felt good the whole way on a route I picked to mimic Boston's elevation changes, and I challenged the uphill segments.  I finished strong - much stronger than I finished before New York and even San Diego.

And now the taper begins.  I still have 24 miles this coming week - with speedwork and a 10-mile tempo run - but the hardest part is done and it is time to heal.  My pal Erin has always told me to "trust the training," although I think she is reminding herself more than she is telling me!  I trust it, though.  I haven't missed any speedwork and only a couple of other runs along the way.  I think I am in better shape and more prepared than I was for San Diego last June, and I came within 2:51 of 3:15:00.  Boston will be harder, but I am ready.

I'm not nuts...I've just got a goal.
More to come later on what to expect on race day.  For now, I think I'll just enjoy today.

Boston: Week 12

One month to go...
43 miles this week.  Not too bad, considering the first half of the week also included walking all over hell and back in Washington, DC.  Speedwork on Tuesday had to be done inside on the treadmill at the hotel, but I still got a good workout.  Since I had to travel on Wednesday, that meant four days in a row with no break after I got back.  Even with that, I was able to do my first long training run ever at a sub-8:00 min./mile pace.

Sunday's long run - 18 miles total - was intended to mimic Boston.  It started out for 7 miles slightly downhill along the Big Dry Creek Trail. Miles 7-13 was a climb of about 300 feet, and then the last 5 miles were mostly downhill.  Had it not been for some lower back cramps, I would say it was a perfect run.




The next week is my last hard week of training that wraps up with a 20 mile run.  And then....let the taper madness begin!

Boston: Weeks 10 & 11

The home stretch
There are only two hard weeks of training left before I start my taper.  At this point, I feel as good as I have ever felt about where I am at in my training vs. how I expect to do.  The only catch is that before this, I never really had any expectation of how I would do!

I am using the same training plan, for the most part, that I did to get my Boston-qualifying time in San Diego - so that is my yardstick.  I exchanged one extra long run that I did in the San Diego training for a shorter run yesterday that turned out to be one of the coolest runs I have ever done.

Week 10
I wrapped up Week 10 with a long run that I had been looking forward to.  I have been trying to mix hills into as many of my long and tempo runs as I can to prepare me for Boston, and the 16-miler from last week is always a challenge.  The first seven miles are uphill - part of which is climbing up the Standley Lake Dam.  While the return trip is downhill, it seems insignificant as compared to the grunt getting to the west side of the lake.  The difference this time was trying to keep myself from going too fast and increasing the wear and tear on my body, and I have been largely successful.  It was also nice to be able to have decent weather, as I have had for almost all my long runs.



Week 11
A short cold snap meant speedwork in the cold and (some) snow, but that was actually a welcome change.  Everything else for this week was gearing up for a shorter long run than I would have normally done, but one that I was very much looking forward to.

A work trip has me in Washington, DC - where I have not been in about 10 years and have not spent any significant time in about 20 years. I know the town well, though, and planned a route for the day of my arrival that turned out to be one of the greatest runs I have ever had.

Starting out from the hotel near the National Zoo, I dropped down into DC via the Rock Creek Trail.  After going near the Watergate, I ran passed the Lincoln Monument and Vietnam War Memorials toward the Washington Monument.  Skirting near the monument I headed back up the north side of the National Mall up Constitution Avenue.  Passing in front of the United States Capitol, I stopped to have someone take my picture and then ran around the Capitol, passing the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court, as well as the House Office Buildings and my old haunt - the Senate Office Buildings.  After crossing back in front of the Capitol, I ran down the south side of the Mall back the way I came, passing the Washington Monument and seeing for the first time the relatively new World War II Memorial.  Rather than retracing my steps completely, I veered west into Georgetown.  I ran up the steps (sort of) made famous by "The Exorcist" and near the bar (The Tombs) made famous by "St. Elmo's Fire" and north back toward the hotel.  Unexpectedly, the last couple of miles ended up a trail run through a wooded area - a perfect end to a great run.

It was also not so shabby being at sea level with all this oxygen!  I will definitely always remember this one.

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