3:17:25

So a little over a year ago, I posted a self reassuring post that on 10/10/10, I would run a 3:10 marathon. The date justified why I strained my calf last year and could not participated in the Royal Victoria Marathon 2009. Its because the date in 2010 coincided with my goal time of 3:10. Going into my 2010 marathon training, I was cautious. I did not want to get injured again. Therefore, I stayed clear of long hard tempo runs at race pace, and decided to focus on a more on a gradual speed training build up with plenty of recovery. I constantly mixed around my easy and hard days to make sure I was getting adequate recovery. There were days that I had planned a speed workout and then substituted a easy run because my legs didn't feel quite right.

Another thing I did differently this time was not "race" every long run, but instead organized challenging group runs on monster hills around Eugene. The idea being, we'll run slow and still get the benefits of a hard run by challenging our legs on McBeth Rd, the Ribbon Trail, and Chamber's Hill. The idea seemed to work. I got stronger as a runner, but had less injuries. I also incorporated pilates, yoga stretches, lunges and eccentric calf raises into my program which kept nagging muscle/tendon stuff at bay.

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The goal: 3:15

It didn't seem impossible. I had run 24mi with large hills at 7:47 pace, 21 mi with rolling hills at 7:19 pace, and 25 miles with a steady hill climb at 7:37 pace. Each run containing sub 7min splits within them.

The day of the Victoria Marathon I decided to not do anything differently (a hard lesson I learned in the Women's Half Marathon when I had a bowl of oatmeal two hours before the race and got sidestiches and nauseous at mile 5). Only Shot Blocks for breakfast, just like I do before the long runs, even with the race's 9am start time. NOT SMART! This body needs food by 9am. The race went according to plan for the first 16 miles. I started at a 7:40 pace, dropped down to a 7:20 average by the half way point. No splits were faster than a 7:10 pace.... I was saving that for the end. Around mile 16, I got a horrible side cramp. I tried every breathing trick in the book, but realized the only thing that seemed to help was water.... water that never seemed to come!!! There was one water station that the person in front of me grabbed the last available cup and no more were being held out by volunteers as I ran by. The other water stops were spread out by miles, and I was having to take GU on its own, because I couldn't keep waiting. (note to self: carry a fuel belt in a marathon, you can't depend on the water stations in a race to be every 2 miles)

Uphill and into the wind pretty much sums up the final 5 miles of the race. My legs wanted to stop to walk so bad, but I wouldn't let them. Frustrated with myself, I decided to punish my body further for what it was incapable of doing. I got a mini second wind at mile 25, but then just coasted to the finish.

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3:17:25

I shouldn't complain. A PR is a PR. And I trained conservatively for this marathon. Also, 40-55 mpw is pretty wimpy too.

Anyway, I was pretty sick after the marathon. Every time I tried to eat, I would get horrible stomach cramps and feel nauseous. Actually the next three days after the marathon I couldn't eat a lot with out feeling ill.

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5 days, 5 lbs
Post marathon, I took 5 days completely off. No running, no cross training. Not because I was sore, I actually had very little post-marathon soreness. Not because I was injured. Not because I was sick of running. I did it because my running mentor and elite marathon performance coach Brad Hudson told me: If you want to be a performance marathon runner, you have to train in cycles. Absolutely nothing for 5 days after the marathon. Trust me, you'll be faster and healthy for it. Also, gain 5 lbs.

At first I was like, what? Are you kidding me? I'm in shape right now, I've got to maintain this! But then my inner coach began talking. Brad is right, no elite athlete can improve his or her performance year after year by training non-stop at a high level. They need to take time off after an intense training cycle, so their body can rebuild/restore/renew itself can improve for next season. The 5lbs will help with muscle recovery and hormone balance. Then, he says, you can jump right back into your mileage, but stick to easier workouts.

So, I realize now that 3:10 is not out of reach. Better training, better fueling, and better hydration will bring a sub 3:15 marathon into reach very soon. As of now, I'm still resting... and then I'll start my high mileage program for Eugene 2011, kicking it off with my first ultra marathon at the end of the month!

A Typical Sunday Morning in Eugene

Its 7 AM on Sunday, and I set out in dense fog for an eleven mile run. The only thing I can hear is the tapping of my running shoes on the damp sidewalk. There are no cars, no people. They're all asleep in their beds. I cross lonely intersections with pointless stoplights. Beyond the railroad tracks I see my first sign of humanity. Three homeless men are playing cards and enjoying their last bit of Saturday night's rum. I finally reach the Rose Garden and note my one mile split. I used to aim for 8-8:15 pace, but now I smile when I see 9:23 on my watch. Ah yes, nice and slow, I'm just warming up. I head towards Valley River wondering if I'll see the regulars. Its cold today, about 42 degrees F. There is a low dense fog that causes condensation to form on my coat. The bike path feels slightly slick from last night's rain. At two miles, I check my pace again. I'm still around 9 minutes- perfect. I won't pick up the pace for another two miles, a promise I made to myself. Around mile 3, I see them. A group of four older men, each carrying their morning caffeine fix, emerge out of the fog. They walk towards me engaged in a conversation that I find myself tilting my head to listen in. What do four men find so gossip worthy on a Sunday morning? I pass them and they nod to me while I wave back. I come to Owosso footbridge and cross. I am now at four miles and twitching to pick up the pace. The iPod that I had tucked in my running pouch comes out and I find my speed mix. Lady Gaga gives my my initial adrenaline rush and I take off. As I'm running, I see a few other runners a head of me. I try to catch each one like its a game. I make my way back to Valley River and check my watch at 6 miles- I've averaged 7:20 pace on the last two miles. I have five more miles to go on this progression run, and so I throw down another throttle. Alton Baker park is quiet this morning, even the geese are nestled in the grass with their heads tucked into their backs. The cobblestone trail is slippery and I have to focus on not over striding. When I reach the Autzen Bridge, I check my watch. I have 2.5 miles left at this point, the distance of the cross-country races I had to run in high school. That's how my mind works when I'm running, always linking one experience to another makes it easier to comprehend and predict a reasonable pace. I check my time and note that if I run the last 2.5 miles at 8:00 pace I will finish my run in my goal time. Today has been a good run! With that last thought in my head, I don't slow down, but I don't speed up. There's no need to push it at this point. I am right where I need to be. I make my way to the EWEB plaza and up towards high street. As I approach my street and slow my pace and get in a bit of a cool down. Everyone is still asleep, so I keep the lonely sidewalk in front of my apartment company by sitting down and stretching. For 10 minutes I focus on hitting every area that just helped carry me for the last eleven miles. Once I feel like Gumby, I run inside to grab a glass of water and then come back out to cool off. I watch the sun force its way through the fog and see its going to be a beautiful Sunday in Eugene.