The recovery trail, 1 workout too many, etc.

Howdy world!

I realized (and was made to realize by Coach Dave Fier) this past tuesday (AFTER running a workout of course) that 16 days is not ample time to recover from a marathon and get back to full training. Based on that newfound knowledge I kept things very easy for the remainder of the week. No long run, not much other running, just a run down to the beach for an 11 mile total on saturday. All in all I ended up getting just under 40 miles in, so probably enough to preserve some of my fitness. I am nervous that by running a 2x 2mile and 2x 1mile workout at just under 5k pace that I may have retarded my bodies recovery. Hopefully not, As I am planning on racing the 4th of July 5k this coming monday. Among things, I would love to break 17 minutes, and come as close to 16 as possible. My plan: go out in 5:18 and negative split. Likely? No idea. A fast workout tonight (I am assuming) and a chat with coach fier will probably help me to better understand my chances of doing that. My watch put me through 5k in 16:54 in my last race - which was very hilly. I know I have the strength to run hard for 3.1 miles, I am just not sure how my leg speed is. Another update this sunday.

Still Recovering

The second week of post race recovery has come to a close with things feeling good not great. The only lingering issue to report is some pain in the joint of my right big toe. I cannot remember if this is something I have encountered before after a race, but I am going to at least stick with some fairly stiff shoes as I begin my buildup of summer mileage/5k/10k training in advance of an October marathon (Long Beach most likely).

The exercise in mental discipline of not running is often more difficult for me than the rigors of training. It boils down to the fact that I am dependent on the endorphins I get from running, and without them I start to go nuts. Fortunately for me I was able to get in 30 miles this week, on top of about 17 or 18 last week.

Regarding the pain in my big toe, I doubt it is anything overly serious, just something to watch as pain always is. I went to Las Vegas this week, won money, and got to run on a treadmill with a fairly scenic view of the strip. Good god I hate treadmills - I think my gait is ill fit to the challenge of running on a gigantic rubber-band. Regardless I got 5 miles in and ended up meeting a guy who I think runs with a club somewhat attached to speed river up in canada. I also got to get some new shoes with my earnings (alden Indy boots and loafers)

Through and through it was a great trip!

Look forward to reporting next week,

Sam

Race Report!

2:53:12 in San Diego, 3rd in Age Group, 48th overall and 37th Man to finish.

WOOHOO thats a 10 minute plus PR, and I hit every one of my previously listed goals besides breaking 2:50.

Here is the report: RocknRoll San Diego was, as I expected, a challenging course to set a really fast PR. With 30,000 people at the start, a June running and a course that leaves a lot to be desired, I knew that running 2:50 was possible, but that I would need to run a smart race. I did not. Came through the half in 1:23:30, feeling pretty easy, but by the time I got to mile 16 I begin to feel a ton of discomfort in my stomach. Not bad enough to make me spew, but just felt like I was not getting any benefit from the shot blocks I had been eating.

From there, I hung in at my 6:30 goal pace up until about mile 20, where I was feeling really discouraged. I ran the entire way alone, and I begin to battle with the mental demons inherent to the marathon "why are you doing this" "drop out DROP OUT" and "Just Walk it in." I have DNF'ed once before because of a Hamstring issue, but this was about as close as I have ever been to just calling it a race. Fortunately though, I got it together enough to just commit to not walking until "the end of the next mile."

The last 10k is along one a bay a little bit inland, and it was brutal. Not a lot of air, fairly warm weather and direct sunlight, combined with my glycogen depleted legs really demoralized me, but after seeing some of the people in front of me dropping out/spewing I figured I was actually hurting a lot less than plenty of others. My parents handed me a bottle of blue gatorade at mile 21 That I credit with helping me hand in and finish up. :

I ended up coming in very slowly – ran the last 10k in about 42-43 mins, but the most brutal part of the race came at the end, when I got confused about where the finish line was. I sprinted through what I thought was the line, then slowed down, only to hear people yelling “keep going” then I did the same thing a second time. It was a pretty difficult race to be sure, but I definitely felt gratified by hanging in there and still making it a positive experience and a big PR. I am not hurting too bad today, and I jumped in the ocean and soaked in a tub with Epsom salt, so hopefully with some quality rest I will be back at it soon.

This is what I looked like after finishing:

Tapering and Pre-race anxiety

Its that time again! The weekend of the my 6th marathon (one was a DNF) has arrived, and I am feeling the mental 'angst' brought on by decreased training, increased energy levels and apprehensiveness. So goes the taper. This is, to my memory, different than I have ever felt before. I am less nervous about finishing this time, and more secure in the amount of training behind me, but I am dealing with the fear associated with shooting for a true breakout performance and big PR. In my mind though, I know that I am more prepared than ever for this run, with a rock solid base, speed work, long runs etc etc etc. . . . It is hard to believe in ones self sometimes, but I think that I have done what I need to do to have a good performance The day after tomorrow.

Over the past two weeks sans posting (whoops!), I recorded one 70 and one 50 mile week (3 and 2 weeks ago respectively), and at this point in my week am about 22 miles in. I had a great mile repeat workout last tuesday, where all of my miles were less than 5:30, most well under that and increasing to the end of the workout. I had a good last 20 miler at 7 minute pace a few days before that, and I am feeling strong as I write this.

I am down in San Diego staying with my parents, and I made it to the Marathon Expo today, and managed to ding my Accord up in the parking lot (sh*t). Aside from that it was a cool experience, especially because I held a door open for who I THINK was Meb as I was leaving. I am bib number 1020 (kind of scary to be starting in the first wave!!!!)

I bought into the Pfitzinger pre-race eating model of short slow runs + carb heavy diet (90%) in order to load my liver and muscles with enough glycogen to keep me going through what I am guessing will be mile 23, after which point the challenge is on. I will not be drinking at every aid station as Advanced Marathoning suggests though, as I feel that drinking to thirst is the better strategy. I am going to take water on the course, along with Cliff energy blocks, which have been my go to fuel of the past few months.

As far as pacing, I think I have the legs to run an average pace of about 6:24 min/mile, but I am looking to run the first half at as close to a relaxed 6:30 pace as possible, but by running 1 mile at a time. I am hoping that things go well, and that I am able to accelerate through the last 10k of the race, but I am looking for a strong performance, and not a put-it-all-on-the-line-and-maybe-blowup type of performance. I want to negative split, and I think that I can do it.

I have had so much support from all of the people in my life to get here, and I know that they all just want me to do my best. This is the best thing about being a rec-runner: you set your own expectations! Regardless, I am going to break down my multi-teered goal structure:

1: finish: finishing any marathon is an accomplishment.

2: PR: obvious reasons, but I would love to run under 3:03:57

3:Top 50 finish: not sure what I would have to run but this would be awesome

4: sub 3 (I will be happy)

5:sub 2:55 (I will be elated)

6: sub 2:50 (I will be the happiest)

7: Age group award: This would be a nice cherry on top of the rest of everything.

Until Sunday afternoon when I update again!