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.
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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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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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!
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!
