Blog

My name is Sam Blackmar, and I am a sometimes hobby jogger/sometimes runner from Newport Beach CA. I have taken a few tries at the macroblog in the past, but never with anything I am as passionate about as running. I hope that I will be able to stay consistent and update this bad boy, more so I can look back on a run log/report than anything else. I also want to be able to post comments on the blogs of the Ultra-runners I really look up to, and I have too much goddamn free time on my hands these days.

On to the running: I grew up playing hockey passionately, the trombone less passionately and soccer begrudgingly. I was never a technical whiz at anything but I had a relatively big lung capacity (so said my trombone instructor who I never listened to), good endurance and the ability to stay underwater for a long time. I don't think any of this matters too much, but when I quit smoking in 2009 running seemed like a logical thing to replace cigarettes with, although I initially had no interest in completing even a 5k. I did assume that I would be able to sustain a jog for a reasonable amount of time and that was all I was interested in. TO me running was a hell-of-a-lot more attractive way to keep in shape than being a gym rat. A month or so later buddy of mine who was still smoking told me he was signing up for a half marathon. I figured if he could do it, I SHOULD do it, as I had been enjoying running 3 or for miles 4 or 5 times a week.

So I signed up for the Long Beach half marathon in 2009, which I completed in what now seems like a staggeringly slow time: 1:42 and some change. I loved it. The expo and the crowds and all of the pumped up people, as well as being able t o finish without being to destroyed afterwards compelled me to continue running, and I signed up for a marathon the next day. Since then I have completed 4 marathons (and had one DNF at the OC marathon) a 10k and put what I estimate to be around 2300 miles in last year. After finishing the San Francisco marathon in over 4 hours (30 minutes slower than my PR at that point; a 3:32) I started really working on mileage and changing my stride up so that I could speed things up a little bit. Then I got hit by a car on my bike, broke a foot and was off it for a month and a half (this was a blessing in disguise. After that healed up, I got refocused and started gearing up for a feb marathon (this was in september - october 2010). From the beginning I felt much faster after the rest and at the very beginning of my training I finished the long beach half marathon in 1:35. I still thought that boston was an impossible dream but I started running higher mileage with a solid year of base training under my belt.

In preparation for this years surf city marathon I built up to a 72-78 mile base for about 8 solid weeks of training, and got in a 37:47 10 k in November and then a 17:35 5k in training. I started to have some more faith in my speed, and ultimately settled on targeting 7 min/mile pace for the marathon. After a nerve racking week before the race I got to the start line feeling OK and I ended up putting a 3:03:57 marathon effort in. I was/am elated with that time, mainly because I hit a 7:01 pace, and felt strong through 24 miles of the race (only normal we all grind out those last 2.2 miles).

Going forwards I am looking to improve on my marathon time and go for a 50 miler in the next couple of months. This will be my longest post and I cannot wait to get to the starting line of my next race.

PRs:

5k:17:35

10k:37:47

13.1: 1:31:20 (first half of my last marathon)

26.2: 3:03:57

Goal Races for 2011:

Newport Classic 5k/10k/15k

Carlsbad 5000

June/Late May Ultra