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Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Saturday, September 17, 2005
More PRs!
According to my training schedule, I was supposed to run 4 miles at marathon pace. Instead, I headed to Wauwatosa for Joe's Run, Walk, and Roll, benefitting United Cerebral Palsy of Southeastern Wisconsin.
I obviously did the RUN part of it, and I set two personal bests -- 6:53 for the mile, and 21:47 for the 5K (averaging about 7 minutes a mile). My forerunner reported times faster than this, but I think it was being overly generous with me this morning.
There are two kinds of tired that you can feel after a run. Most of the time, I feel neither. After today's run, I felt winded. My legs were not tired at all, but I could tell that my lungs were feeling it. I could barely take in enough oxygen to keep such a fast pace. After a 20-mile run, my lungs will feel fine, but my legs will feel a little bit jelly-ish.
I'm taking it easy for the rest of today, and tomorrow's easy 12-miler should be a piece of cake!
I obviously did the RUN part of it, and I set two personal bests -- 6:53 for the mile, and 21:47 for the 5K (averaging about 7 minutes a mile). My forerunner reported times faster than this, but I think it was being overly generous with me this morning.
There are two kinds of tired that you can feel after a run. Most of the time, I feel neither. After today's run, I felt winded. My legs were not tired at all, but I could tell that my lungs were feeling it. I could barely take in enough oxygen to keep such a fast pace. After a 20-mile run, my lungs will feel fine, but my legs will feel a little bit jelly-ish.
I'm taking it easy for the rest of today, and tomorrow's easy 12-miler should be a piece of cake!
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Three to get ready
Here's the breakdown for my last 20-miler before the marathon, which occurred on Sunday, September 11:
According to my forerunner, I ran these 20 miles faster than my targeted marathon pace. This is obviously a good sign. However, I'm guessing that the many trees and hills of Beaverton, Oregon caused some GPS tracking difficulties, and perhaps the time is reported a little quicker than it actually was. One specific occurrence is mile # 12 -- I highly doubt that I ran this mile in just over eight minutes. So, take it for what it's worth.
Another element that worked in my favor was the weather. It was a wonderfully cool morning. I ran the first 3.5 miles with a light jacket, and then my standard running outfit (dri-fit shirt & shorts) for the rest of the run.
Did the hills slow me down at all? Apparently not. But to be completely honest, the hills I ran were gentle slopes compared to some of the roads in Oregon.
Here's a graph of my results:
Let the three-week tapering period begin!
| Individual Miles | Averages | |||||||
| Miles 1-5 | 9:25 | 9:22 | 9:23 | 9:07 | 9:23 | 9:20 | 9:12 | 9:03 |
| Miles 6-10 | 8:54 | 9:04 | 9:24 | 8:47 | 9:14 | 9:05 | ||
| Miles 11-15 | 9:37 | 8:08 | 8:40 | 8:35 | 8:44 | 8:45 | 8:52 | |
| Miles 16-20 | 8:49 | 8:23 | 9:19 | 9:11 | 9:19 | 9:00 | ||
According to my forerunner, I ran these 20 miles faster than my targeted marathon pace. This is obviously a good sign. However, I'm guessing that the many trees and hills of Beaverton, Oregon caused some GPS tracking difficulties, and perhaps the time is reported a little quicker than it actually was. One specific occurrence is mile # 12 -- I highly doubt that I ran this mile in just over eight minutes. So, take it for what it's worth.
Another element that worked in my favor was the weather. It was a wonderfully cool morning. I ran the first 3.5 miles with a light jacket, and then my standard running outfit (dri-fit shirt & shorts) for the rest of the run.
Did the hills slow me down at all? Apparently not. But to be completely honest, the hills I ran were gentle slopes compared to some of the roads in Oregon.
Here's a graph of my results:
Let the three-week tapering period begin!
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Badgerland Striders 20K Report
Here are my mile splits from the Badgerland Striders 20K (just less than 12.5 miles), held in Estabrook Park in Milwaukee:
My final recorded time is 1:43:48, which corresponds to a pace of about 8:22 / mile. My official time will likely be a little bit slower than this, because I started my forerunner when I crossed the starting line (shortly after the race's actual start). Update: The official results are in. My official time is 1:43:59, corresponding to an average of 8:23 / mile.
Since I enjoyed making the graph of my 20-milers, here's a graph of today's run:
You'll notice that my split times in the last four miles are somewhat erratic. I think this is more the forerunner's fault than anything else. Some of the area had a lot of trees, so it was sometimes tough to get a clear signal. Lap 11 was actually 1.03 miles long. Averaging everything out, I had about an even split (first half about same pace as second half).
I finished within my goal pace, which was 8:30 / mile. I also checked my time at the 15K and the 10-mile marks, and I determined that I have set new personal records for each. This is a MAJOR confidence boost for me, and I think I will be setting my goal finishing time for the marathon at four hours!
| Miles 1-6 | 8:38 | 8:11 | 8:15 | 8:11 | 8:28 | 8:22 |
| Miles 7-12 | 8:15 | 8:20 | 8:01 | 8:37 | 8:40* | 8:43 |
| Final .38 mile: | 3:06 | (about 8:10 pace) | ||||
| *Note: Mile 11 covered 1.03 miles | ||||||
My final recorded time is 1:43:48, which corresponds to a pace of about 8:22 / mile. My official time will likely be a little bit slower than this, because I started my forerunner when I crossed the starting line (shortly after the race's actual start). Update: The official results are in. My official time is 1:43:59, corresponding to an average of 8:23 / mile.
Since I enjoyed making the graph of my 20-milers, here's a graph of today's run:
You'll notice that my split times in the last four miles are somewhat erratic. I think this is more the forerunner's fault than anything else. Some of the area had a lot of trees, so it was sometimes tough to get a clear signal. Lap 11 was actually 1.03 miles long. Averaging everything out, I had about an even split (first half about same pace as second half).
I finished within my goal pace, which was 8:30 / mile. I also checked my time at the 15K and the 10-mile marks, and I determined that I have set new personal records for each. This is a MAJOR confidence boost for me, and I think I will be setting my goal finishing time for the marathon at four hours!
Sunday, August 28, 2005
30 Mile Weekend
Yesterday morning, I ran 10 miles, averaging 8:40 per mile. This is about fifteen seconds per mile slower than my personal record (about 8:25 / mile). However, I wasn't trying to set a new PR, and I had to conserve energy for my big 20-miler, which I completed this morning.
Here's the mile breakdown:
As you might have noticed, I did much better this time out than I did two weeks ago. Here's a graph which compares the two runs. The orange line represents my run from two weeks ago, and the blue line represents today's run:
My confidence is building for two reasons. First of all, today's run was more than 30 seconds per mile FASTER than my 20-miler from two weeks ago. Secondly, both runs show evidence that I am pacing myself well. They feature what is known as a "negative split", meaning that the second half of the run is faster than the first half. No matter what distance I run, I'm hoping to have either a negative split or an even split (both halves about the same time).
I am tracking fairly well to attempt a four-hour marathon on October 2nd. We'll see how things go at the 20K race next weekend!
Here's the mile breakdown:
| Individual Miles | Averages | |||||||
| Miles 1-5 | 9:40 | 9:32 | 9:31 | 9:34 | 9:19 | 9:31 | 9:26 | 9:19 |
| Miles 6-10 | 9:21 | 9:15 | 9:33 | 9:22 | 9:12 | 9:21 | ||
| Miles 11-15 | 9:20 | 9:11 | 9:10 | 9:05 | 9:15 | 9:12 | 9:11 | |
| Miles 16-20 | 8:52 | 9:21 | 9:24 | 8:54 | 9:18 | 9:10 | ||
As you might have noticed, I did much better this time out than I did two weeks ago. Here's a graph which compares the two runs. The orange line represents my run from two weeks ago, and the blue line represents today's run:
My confidence is building for two reasons. First of all, today's run was more than 30 seconds per mile FASTER than my 20-miler from two weeks ago. Secondly, both runs show evidence that I am pacing myself well. They feature what is known as a "negative split", meaning that the second half of the run is faster than the first half. No matter what distance I run, I'm hoping to have either a negative split or an even split (both halves about the same time).
I am tracking fairly well to attempt a four-hour marathon on October 2nd. We'll see how things go at the 20K race next weekend!
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Stuff I bought yesterday
I stopped at local bicycle shop for some supplies yesterday. As you might have guessed, they have a lot of stuff for runners as well. Here's what I purchased:
Three individual packets of raspberry Hammer Gel
One gel flask
They were out of my first choice, which was one of the 26-serving jugs. The flask will come in handy during my longer runs.
One reflective sash band
I often run in the mornings before heading to work, and there's not as much daylight as there used to be. Though I feel a little bit like a contestant in a beauty pageant, I feel much safer knowing that oncoming traffic can see me.
One container of BodyGlide
For those who might not know what this is -- it's a non-greasy, non-oily lotion that prevents chafing. Another item that will be very helpful in keeping me comfortable during long runs.
I've got 30 miles to run this weekend (10 on Saturday, 20 on Sunday). I'm glad I'm resting tomorrow.
Three individual packets of raspberry Hammer Gel
One gel flask
They were out of my first choice, which was one of the 26-serving jugs. The flask will come in handy during my longer runs.
One reflective sash band
I often run in the mornings before heading to work, and there's not as much daylight as there used to be. Though I feel a little bit like a contestant in a beauty pageant, I feel much safer knowing that oncoming traffic can see me.
One container of BodyGlide
For those who might not know what this is -- it's a non-greasy, non-oily lotion that prevents chafing. Another item that will be very helpful in keeping me comfortable during long runs.
I've got 30 miles to run this weekend (10 on Saturday, 20 on Sunday). I'm glad I'm resting tomorrow.
Saturday, August 20, 2005
New 10K Personal Record!
Though my training plan suggested I run six miles at marathon pace, I was feeling especially well, so I decided to run a 10-kilometer "race" using my forerunner. I ran about two minutes faster than my previous personal best. The individual mile times are as follows:
So, I got a little bit tired at the end, but I was able to maintain a fairly steady pace.
I'm looking forward to running a real race in two weeks to continue my marathon preparation. On September 3, I plan to participate in the Badgerland Striders 20K in Milwaukee's Estabrook Park.
| 7:58 | 8:09 | 7:46 | 8:17 | 8:00 | 8:24 | 1:55 |
| Average: 8:07 / mile | Total Time: 50:32 | |||||
So, I got a little bit tired at the end, but I was able to maintain a fairly steady pace.
I'm looking forward to running a real race in two weeks to continue my marathon preparation. On September 3, I plan to participate in the Badgerland Striders 20K in Milwaukee's Estabrook Park.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Long Run Done
As my training for the Lakefront Marathon continues, I completed a run of 20.6 miles this morning. Here's a mile-by-mile breakdown:
Mile #1 - 10:15
After a fair amount of stretching and a bit of walking, I began the run just after 5:30 a.m. During the first few miles, I could feel my body slowly warming up.
Mile #2 - 10:11
My training plan suggested that I finish this run about 90 seconds SLOWER than my planned marathon pace (tentatively set at 9:00 / mile), which means I should be doing this run at 10:30 / mile. I was going a bit faster than that -- still feeling great.
Mile #3 - 10:11
At about the 2.8 mile mark, I took my first walking break. The drink of choice was some freshly-mixed orange Gatorade.
Mile #4 - 10:08
Mile #5 - 9:59
By the end of mile #5, I was in a groove. My split times were gradually dropping, but I did not feel that I was expending any additional effort. Whenever I felt myself trying to speed up, I tried to think about conserving energy so that I would last the entire run.
Mile #6 - 9:55
Another walking break -- and more Gatorade.
Mile #7 - 10:12
Mile #8 - 9:39
Looking back, I'm not sure why there was such a big difference in these two lap times. It's possible that I was benefitting from a wind or that the forerunner wasn't perfectly accurate. In any case, I was still feeling pretty good, doing my best to save my energy. However, every lap is below the suggested 10:30 mark. Was I going too fast?
Mile #9 - 10:25
A slightly longer walking break this time -- because this break featured some raspberry-flavored Hammer Gel. I'm still getting used to ingesting gels during a run, so it took me a bit longer to get the pack open, drink enough water afterwards, etc. I was still way ahead of my desired pace and still feeling great.
Mile #10 - 9:36
Mile #11 - 9:53
Mile #12 - 10:16
Another three miles down, and I barely felt sore at all. My fourth walking break consisted of the rest of the raspberry gel pack and water.
Mile #13 - 9:52
Mile #14 - 9:54
I reached the half marathon at about 2:11:30. This is much slower than my PR of 1:56:25, but much faster than the target pace for this run (2:17:33).
Mile #15 - 10:10
My next walking break consisted of more gel -- orange flavor this time. As I chased the gel down with the recommended 3-4 ounces of water, I decided that raspberry is my preferred flavor. :)
Mile #16 - 9:54
With a mere four miles to go, I was still feeling okay. I felt an occasional dull pain in my left shoulder, which serves as a reminder to run with the correct posture. As soon as I improved my form, the pain went away. My legs were obviously feeling the effects of a long run, but they were not nearly as sore as they were a week ago at this point (when I finished a 19-miler).
Mile #17 - 9:43
Mile #18 - 9:57
My final walking break consisted of more Gatorade. As I set out to complete the remaining miles, I looked at my Garmin forerunner and noticed that I was significantly close to averaging 10:00 / mile for the entire run. I was feeling MUCH better than I was at the 18-mile mark last week. Dare I push the pace a little bit at the end of the run?
Mile #19 - 9:29
I endeavored to conserve energy as best I could for most of the run. But with only two miles to go, I was convinced that I had the energy to push it a little bit. Last week, I could feel myself slowing down significantly at mile #19. I didn't feel that at all this time. Perhaps it was my concerted effort to stay hydrated and energized. With a mile to go, I knew that I would be able to complete my run without do anything remotely close to crashing. Onward!
Mile #20 - 9:23
When I've been out running for more than three hours, a part of me wants the run to be over -- somewhat like a long car trip. I could have finished this mile much slower than 9:23, but I had the energy for it, and I was a bit eager to be done, so I kept up the pace. Of course, I was still some distance from home when I finished 20 miles. Should I walk the rest of the way?
Mile #21 (well, only .6 miles) - 5:52
I stepped into what some refer to as "sacred ground", but only a little bit. As I stopped the forerunner at 20.6 miles, I was thrilled to have finished a 20-miler. I'm fatigued, but feeling better than I ever have after a "major" long run (12+ miles).
Average: 9:56 / mile
Seven weeks until the marathon!
Mile #1 - 10:15
After a fair amount of stretching and a bit of walking, I began the run just after 5:30 a.m. During the first few miles, I could feel my body slowly warming up.
Mile #2 - 10:11
My training plan suggested that I finish this run about 90 seconds SLOWER than my planned marathon pace (tentatively set at 9:00 / mile), which means I should be doing this run at 10:30 / mile. I was going a bit faster than that -- still feeling great.
Mile #3 - 10:11
At about the 2.8 mile mark, I took my first walking break. The drink of choice was some freshly-mixed orange Gatorade.
Mile #4 - 10:08
Mile #5 - 9:59
By the end of mile #5, I was in a groove. My split times were gradually dropping, but I did not feel that I was expending any additional effort. Whenever I felt myself trying to speed up, I tried to think about conserving energy so that I would last the entire run.
Mile #6 - 9:55
Another walking break -- and more Gatorade.
Mile #7 - 10:12
Mile #8 - 9:39
Looking back, I'm not sure why there was such a big difference in these two lap times. It's possible that I was benefitting from a wind or that the forerunner wasn't perfectly accurate. In any case, I was still feeling pretty good, doing my best to save my energy. However, every lap is below the suggested 10:30 mark. Was I going too fast?
Mile #9 - 10:25
A slightly longer walking break this time -- because this break featured some raspberry-flavored Hammer Gel. I'm still getting used to ingesting gels during a run, so it took me a bit longer to get the pack open, drink enough water afterwards, etc. I was still way ahead of my desired pace and still feeling great.
Mile #10 - 9:36
Mile #11 - 9:53
Mile #12 - 10:16
Another three miles down, and I barely felt sore at all. My fourth walking break consisted of the rest of the raspberry gel pack and water.
Mile #13 - 9:52
Mile #14 - 9:54
I reached the half marathon at about 2:11:30. This is much slower than my PR of 1:56:25, but much faster than the target pace for this run (2:17:33).
Mile #15 - 10:10
My next walking break consisted of more gel -- orange flavor this time. As I chased the gel down with the recommended 3-4 ounces of water, I decided that raspberry is my preferred flavor. :)
Mile #16 - 9:54
With a mere four miles to go, I was still feeling okay. I felt an occasional dull pain in my left shoulder, which serves as a reminder to run with the correct posture. As soon as I improved my form, the pain went away. My legs were obviously feeling the effects of a long run, but they were not nearly as sore as they were a week ago at this point (when I finished a 19-miler).
Mile #17 - 9:43
Mile #18 - 9:57
My final walking break consisted of more Gatorade. As I set out to complete the remaining miles, I looked at my Garmin forerunner and noticed that I was significantly close to averaging 10:00 / mile for the entire run. I was feeling MUCH better than I was at the 18-mile mark last week. Dare I push the pace a little bit at the end of the run?
Mile #19 - 9:29
I endeavored to conserve energy as best I could for most of the run. But with only two miles to go, I was convinced that I had the energy to push it a little bit. Last week, I could feel myself slowing down significantly at mile #19. I didn't feel that at all this time. Perhaps it was my concerted effort to stay hydrated and energized. With a mile to go, I knew that I would be able to complete my run without do anything remotely close to crashing. Onward!
Mile #20 - 9:23
When I've been out running for more than three hours, a part of me wants the run to be over -- somewhat like a long car trip. I could have finished this mile much slower than 9:23, but I had the energy for it, and I was a bit eager to be done, so I kept up the pace. Of course, I was still some distance from home when I finished 20 miles. Should I walk the rest of the way?
Mile #21 (well, only .6 miles) - 5:52
I stepped into what some refer to as "sacred ground", but only a little bit. As I stopped the forerunner at 20.6 miles, I was thrilled to have finished a 20-miler. I'm fatigued, but feeling better than I ever have after a "major" long run (12+ miles).
Average: 9:56 / mile
Seven weeks until the marathon!
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