My second week of FIRST started today with 4x800 meter intervals at a 6:54 pace. Last week I was not able to keep up with the 3x1600m 7:09 intervals, and was determined to get closer this week. My 800 meter time was supposed to be 3:27, and I logged 4 intervals at 3:30, 3:28, 3:30 and 3:29. Sweet! Maybe I can do this interval stuff after all. I think what really helped me is that I walked the 2 minute rest interval. Last week I jogged, and I just wasn’t able to regroup fast enough.
I am pretty beat though. I crossed trained pretty hard yesterday. (So there Lia =) )Right now I’d say cross training is harder on me than an 8 mile easy run. I am just so much more used to running. That will change I think, but right now the cross training isn’t a breeze.
The one thing I failed to notice about FIRST is that there are no easy weeks. Ever. My previous schedule built up for 3 weeks and then had an easy week. Not with FIRST. My long runs are 13, 15, 20, 18, 20, 13, 18, 20, 15, 20, 10 and then marathon. Yikes. No resting there. I will be camping on 3 or 4 of those long runs too, which will be interesting. The pacing varies on the long runs, but they will still not be a problem. The hardest is a 13 miler at PMP (Projected Marathon Pace) on 9/16 which will be just 5 seconds per mile faster than the half marathon I raced a few weeks ago.
I am really curious to see if this FIRST thing will work for me. Even if it does, with such a new runner like me it will be hard to know whether it was the training program… or me just becoming a better runner, which I may have on any program.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
First week of FIRST
I just completed the first week of my Portland Marathon training schedule, following the FIRST training plan. Let me say right away that it is more difficult than I thought. You’d think just 25 miles in a week would be a breeze, but no… I can definitely say it was not. In fact, I couldn’t even do all that I was supposed to.
The first day was the worst. In Eighty plus degree heat, I was supposed to do 3 intervals of 1 miles sprint followed by 1 minute rest, with a 2 mile warm up and cool down. The pace for me was something like 7:12. Now, remember, the fastest I can run a mile right now is barely under 7… like 6:59.999. The first mile I was on pace until right near the end when I slacked off a bit. Still… not bad. The one minute rest was way too short. The next mile I faded and finished at a ridiculous 8:30. I started the 3rd interval and realized I was grimacing and flailing, but really wasn’t moving any faster than a jog, so I gave in and skipped the last rep. I was like a beat up Datsun with 5 people trying to speed up a hill. It just wasn’t happening.
Day 2 was 30 minutes of cycling at the gym. My butt wasn’t used to the seat so of course that is sore. New muscles getting used there too. Thursday I had better luck. Two miles easy, then two straight at 7:30, then two easy. I actually managed to complete it, but it was hard. I can’t believe I finished a half marathon at 7:45. Adrenalin must be some powerful stuff. By Friday I was sore… too sore to cross train. My knees and ankles were loose and I felt like I was held together by rubber bands that were too loose. My knees felt like they were separating and then being snapped by in place by the rubber bands. Ack. I also skipped the cross training on Friday and Saturday. I know I am not going to get far on the FIRST plan without that hard cross training… but I was coming apart at the wheels. The plan said I was only supposed to implement one of the speed runs at first… then another… then another… but I decided to jump right in, which might not have been a great idea. I will just do the best I can though.
Sunday was a 13 mile run at 8:30 pace. Long runs are no problem for me… as on my previous training I was running them faster than I should have already. I finished at 8:29 pace. At about mile 3 of my run it just poured rain… sideways big drops of ugly rain. I was soaked to the bone. I seriously considered stopping to wring out my socks… but I continued on.
So my first week of FIRST didn’t go so well… but I will be OK. I must say that I hate pushing my lactate threshold. I have tended to avoid it so far, but there is no getting around it with FIRST, and it is very uncomfortable for me. I feel it as a big hole in my stomach that makes me want to puke. (I have done that plenty after running… though not recently) Now I will be pushing this on at least two runs a week. Will it get me to Boston? Not sure. If not… I can always move to a more conventional approach and try to qualify in Eugene next Spring. I do believe this will help me push my speed though.
I told my son earlier that if the Oregon State Beavers win the NCAA College Baseball Championship, I would run the Boston marathon next year. It was improbable… they had a losing record in the Pac-10, they had just two returning starters, and they were the last of 64 teams to even make the tournament. (Not to mention last year when they won I told him that was the last time in my life I would see something like that happen) By all accounts they had no business thinking they could win. And yet… last night… they did. It wasn’t a divine miracle either cast down upon them from the heavens… they created the miracle by their belief in themselves, and conjured enough magic to get them across the finish line. I hope to do the same.
The first day was the worst. In Eighty plus degree heat, I was supposed to do 3 intervals of 1 miles sprint followed by 1 minute rest, with a 2 mile warm up and cool down. The pace for me was something like 7:12. Now, remember, the fastest I can run a mile right now is barely under 7… like 6:59.999. The first mile I was on pace until right near the end when I slacked off a bit. Still… not bad. The one minute rest was way too short. The next mile I faded and finished at a ridiculous 8:30. I started the 3rd interval and realized I was grimacing and flailing, but really wasn’t moving any faster than a jog, so I gave in and skipped the last rep. I was like a beat up Datsun with 5 people trying to speed up a hill. It just wasn’t happening.
Day 2 was 30 minutes of cycling at the gym. My butt wasn’t used to the seat so of course that is sore. New muscles getting used there too. Thursday I had better luck. Two miles easy, then two straight at 7:30, then two easy. I actually managed to complete it, but it was hard. I can’t believe I finished a half marathon at 7:45. Adrenalin must be some powerful stuff. By Friday I was sore… too sore to cross train. My knees and ankles were loose and I felt like I was held together by rubber bands that were too loose. My knees felt like they were separating and then being snapped by in place by the rubber bands. Ack. I also skipped the cross training on Friday and Saturday. I know I am not going to get far on the FIRST plan without that hard cross training… but I was coming apart at the wheels. The plan said I was only supposed to implement one of the speed runs at first… then another… then another… but I decided to jump right in, which might not have been a great idea. I will just do the best I can though.
Sunday was a 13 mile run at 8:30 pace. Long runs are no problem for me… as on my previous training I was running them faster than I should have already. I finished at 8:29 pace. At about mile 3 of my run it just poured rain… sideways big drops of ugly rain. I was soaked to the bone. I seriously considered stopping to wring out my socks… but I continued on.
So my first week of FIRST didn’t go so well… but I will be OK. I must say that I hate pushing my lactate threshold. I have tended to avoid it so far, but there is no getting around it with FIRST, and it is very uncomfortable for me. I feel it as a big hole in my stomach that makes me want to puke. (I have done that plenty after running… though not recently) Now I will be pushing this on at least two runs a week. Will it get me to Boston? Not sure. If not… I can always move to a more conventional approach and try to qualify in Eugene next Spring. I do believe this will help me push my speed though.
I told my son earlier that if the Oregon State Beavers win the NCAA College Baseball Championship, I would run the Boston marathon next year. It was improbable… they had a losing record in the Pac-10, they had just two returning starters, and they were the last of 64 teams to even make the tournament. (Not to mention last year when they won I told him that was the last time in my life I would see something like that happen) By all accounts they had no business thinking they could win. And yet… last night… they did. It wasn’t a divine miracle either cast down upon them from the heavens… they created the miracle by their belief in themselves, and conjured enough magic to get them across the finish line. I hope to do the same.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Helvetia Half Marathon race report
The are some days that are just meant for running. It is as if the world is a stage perfectly set for one specific purpose, to run. Overcast... not too warm... dry... it was a beautiful day this morning. The starting line for the race was just down the road from my typical running spot. I pass it every morning driving to work, but then again… I have a 45 minute commute, so I pass a LOT of places on the way.
The packet pickup was inside the Hillsboro stadium, which was very cool. I could see the finish line there too… inside the stadium. NICE! I wish the Eugene marathon would have ended in Autzen. The race was so well organized, I wanted to cry. Everything was perfect. The restroom lines were even manageable!
When I made my way over to the staring line and jogged a bit to warm up, I knew I was in for some pain. Both my skins still hurt from the excessive running the previous weekend. This was going to be… uh… interesting.
The pace I picked out that I wanted to average… was the pace I would need to qualify for Boston, which is 7:39.9 (that is including the extra 59 seconds they would grant me if I needed them) The pace my legs told me then wanted to run during warm-up, was 7:45.
I started out thinking I’d try to run 7:30, because I knew there was a monster hill around miles 5 that would slow me down. Mile 1 was 7:23. I was feeling fine. Mile 2, 7:25, and I am thinking to myself, no way I can average this for the whole race. For the first time I knew, the pace I wanted… not happening. I tried not to slow though, because I knew the hill was coming. Mile 3, 7:48. There were not really any hills yet, I just was having trouble keeping my pace. People are passing me here. I hate those idiots that go out too fast and then fall back early. Oh wait… that is me.
Mile 4: 8:04. The hills still really haven’t started, and I am not feeling good. I am worrying at this point whether the hill will burn me out so much I can’t finish. My stomach isn’t feeling great either, but I press on.
Mile 5 is the hill. I could see the long silent mass of runners struggling forward and upward. We reach the top of a hill and I can’t help but ask someone, “is that the last big hill?” “Yeah… I think so” was the reply. THANK GOD. Then, ‘Oh no… I think we wind around a few more up here.” My spirits sank, but I seemed to be holding my own on the hills. No one was passing me… and I was passing some others. Find pace for mile 5, 8:31.
Now I knew I was home free with regards to hills… but there were still plenty of small rolling ones… after all… it was country roads in the area surrounding Hillsboro… as in… the hills. Mile 6, 7:32. Almost back on pace. I am feeling better. I survived the hill and my legs are still moving! Not only that… but the rest of the rest was mostly down hill!
Miles 7, 8 & 9 are about on pace: 7:34, 7:28 & 7:30. By mile 10, I am out of the hills and back onto the flats, and the wind is blowing in my face. It starts to drizzle and I realize I can’t keep a 7:30 pace, but I try the best I can. Mile 10: 7:37, Mile 11: 7:38, Mile 12: 7:36. I’m staring to smell the finish line at this point… but I am still tired.
Mile 13: 7:42… just trying to hold on. The last point .1 miles (.26 according to my GPS) are at 6:47. (Hey… we ran into a stadium with people cheering, and that can motivate you)
Time according to my GPS: 1:41:42. (EDIT: Official time 1:41:39) Not sure what my official time is yet… but final pace averaged 7:40 according to GPS… but 7:45 according to McMillan’s running calculator. Dang… my legs were right on!!! (Always listen to your legs)
That pace is damn close to Boston qualifying for me. I wanted it pretty bad, but I am just not there yet. I already had the title to this post picked out… Halfway to Boston (you know… being a half marathon at Boston pace) but no… I didn’t quite make it.
I still feel very good about my race though. Post race was just as amazingly organized as pre-race. They provided a free hamburgers, drinks, and of course the typical assortment of post-race trinkets. It really was a wonderful race, and afterward I felt great, positive and energetic. I basked in the post race glow.
I was thinking if I could keep 7:30 pace, I’d break the top 100. Big deal… but there were 2,535 runners registered. For someone who a few years ago finished in the back 1/3rd, then was a middle of the packer for a long time, and now usually finish in the top 1/3rd… to try to break the top 100 out of 2,535 (top 4%) would be amazing. Of course, I didn’t do that… but I bet I finished in the top 150.
Maybe, just maybe… I really CAN qualify for Boston. Though I am running down that path, I have never been sure that it is something I am even capable of doing. Considering I haven’t even started my Portland marathon training cycle (that starts next week), I am cautiously optimistic. There are plenty of hard and grueling miles ahead, but maybe… just maybe…
Mile 1: 7:24 HR 150
Mile 2: 7:25 HR 160
Mile 3: 7:48 HR 160
Mile 4: 8:04 HR 161
Mile 5: 8:31 HR 163
Mile 6: 7:32 HR 161
Mile 7: 7:34 HR 160
Mile 8: 7:28 HR 161
Mile 9: 7:30 HR 161
Mile 10: 7:37 HR 162
Mile 11: 7:38 HR 163
Mile 12: 7:36 HR 162
Mile 13: 7:42 HR 164
Last .1 6:47 HR 166
EDIT:
Overall place 189 of 2338
Gender place 150 of 777
Division place 24 of 123
The packet pickup was inside the Hillsboro stadium, which was very cool. I could see the finish line there too… inside the stadium. NICE! I wish the Eugene marathon would have ended in Autzen. The race was so well organized, I wanted to cry. Everything was perfect. The restroom lines were even manageable!
When I made my way over to the staring line and jogged a bit to warm up, I knew I was in for some pain. Both my skins still hurt from the excessive running the previous weekend. This was going to be… uh… interesting.
The pace I picked out that I wanted to average… was the pace I would need to qualify for Boston, which is 7:39.9 (that is including the extra 59 seconds they would grant me if I needed them) The pace my legs told me then wanted to run during warm-up, was 7:45.
I started out thinking I’d try to run 7:30, because I knew there was a monster hill around miles 5 that would slow me down. Mile 1 was 7:23. I was feeling fine. Mile 2, 7:25, and I am thinking to myself, no way I can average this for the whole race. For the first time I knew, the pace I wanted… not happening. I tried not to slow though, because I knew the hill was coming. Mile 3, 7:48. There were not really any hills yet, I just was having trouble keeping my pace. People are passing me here. I hate those idiots that go out too fast and then fall back early. Oh wait… that is me.
Mile 4: 8:04. The hills still really haven’t started, and I am not feeling good. I am worrying at this point whether the hill will burn me out so much I can’t finish. My stomach isn’t feeling great either, but I press on.
Mile 5 is the hill. I could see the long silent mass of runners struggling forward and upward. We reach the top of a hill and I can’t help but ask someone, “is that the last big hill?” “Yeah… I think so” was the reply. THANK GOD. Then, ‘Oh no… I think we wind around a few more up here.” My spirits sank, but I seemed to be holding my own on the hills. No one was passing me… and I was passing some others. Find pace for mile 5, 8:31.
Now I knew I was home free with regards to hills… but there were still plenty of small rolling ones… after all… it was country roads in the area surrounding Hillsboro… as in… the hills. Mile 6, 7:32. Almost back on pace. I am feeling better. I survived the hill and my legs are still moving! Not only that… but the rest of the rest was mostly down hill!
Miles 7, 8 & 9 are about on pace: 7:34, 7:28 & 7:30. By mile 10, I am out of the hills and back onto the flats, and the wind is blowing in my face. It starts to drizzle and I realize I can’t keep a 7:30 pace, but I try the best I can. Mile 10: 7:37, Mile 11: 7:38, Mile 12: 7:36. I’m staring to smell the finish line at this point… but I am still tired.
Mile 13: 7:42… just trying to hold on. The last point .1 miles (.26 according to my GPS) are at 6:47. (Hey… we ran into a stadium with people cheering, and that can motivate you)
Time according to my GPS: 1:41:42. (EDIT: Official time 1:41:39) Not sure what my official time is yet… but final pace averaged 7:40 according to GPS… but 7:45 according to McMillan’s running calculator. Dang… my legs were right on!!! (Always listen to your legs)
That pace is damn close to Boston qualifying for me. I wanted it pretty bad, but I am just not there yet. I already had the title to this post picked out… Halfway to Boston (you know… being a half marathon at Boston pace) but no… I didn’t quite make it.
I still feel very good about my race though. Post race was just as amazingly organized as pre-race. They provided a free hamburgers, drinks, and of course the typical assortment of post-race trinkets. It really was a wonderful race, and afterward I felt great, positive and energetic. I basked in the post race glow.
I was thinking if I could keep 7:30 pace, I’d break the top 100. Big deal… but there were 2,535 runners registered. For someone who a few years ago finished in the back 1/3rd, then was a middle of the packer for a long time, and now usually finish in the top 1/3rd… to try to break the top 100 out of 2,535 (top 4%) would be amazing. Of course, I didn’t do that… but I bet I finished in the top 150.
Maybe, just maybe… I really CAN qualify for Boston. Though I am running down that path, I have never been sure that it is something I am even capable of doing. Considering I haven’t even started my Portland marathon training cycle (that starts next week), I am cautiously optimistic. There are plenty of hard and grueling miles ahead, but maybe… just maybe…
Mile 1: 7:24 HR 150
Mile 2: 7:25 HR 160
Mile 3: 7:48 HR 160
Mile 4: 8:04 HR 161
Mile 5: 8:31 HR 163
Mile 6: 7:32 HR 161
Mile 7: 7:34 HR 160
Mile 8: 7:28 HR 161
Mile 9: 7:30 HR 161
Mile 10: 7:37 HR 162
Mile 11: 7:38 HR 163
Mile 12: 7:36 HR 162
Mile 13: 7:42 HR 164
Last .1 6:47 HR 166
EDIT:
Overall place 189 of 2338
Gender place 150 of 777
Division place 24 of 123
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Ready or not, half marathon here I come
My next run will be the Helvetia half marathon this Saturday. My legs will not be as fresh as I would have liked them due to a mental goof on my part. I was at the coast on vacation this past weekend, and I thought my schedule for Friday and Saturday was 5 and 12 miles. For the five miles, I found a real nice hill… unlike the hills in Hillsboro =) so I thought, there is a hill… a MONSTER hill even, and well… here am I, so lets get acquainted for awhile. Now, I can recall from 2 years ago that I ran up the hill ONCE and was spent. This time I was determined to run up and down until I couldn’t run up it anymore. It was about ½ long, and at the top steep enough to slow me to a crawl. I made it 5 times, and learned the next day that I have muscles in my butt that I didn’t know, and they can become very sore where running hills.
Of course… the next day was a 12 miler. Great. Sore butt, 12 miles. Argh. I forgot my GPS watch, so I just drove six miles up highway 101 on the coast, marked a spot, then headed back to the beach house to start my run. Unfortunately there were some hills on the 12 miler too. JOY! And then the stupid part… I come home and look at my training schedule and I was supposed to run 5 miles… not 12. It was supposed to be the beginning of a rest week.
By my run Tuesday, the familiar signs of overuse were springing up. Sore knees, shin splints and the like. My legs were also like logs out of water. Peachy. Despite heavy doses of vitamin I, I don’t think I will be 100% by Saturday. No worries though… I will just adjust my expectations slightly. Ah who am I kidding, I won’t adjust them one bit, I will just hurt more after it is all over.
Eugene marathon untold story:
The night before the Eugene marathon I got ready to pin my bib to my shirt, and realized I didn’t pick up any safety pins. My wife amazingly pulled three honking ones from her purse, but I didn’t want those rubbing against me for 26.2 miles, so I headed out searching for a drug store or some place I could buy some. Eugene must have something against Walmart, Fred Meyer and the like, because I couldn’t find anything that looked like a store. I just roamed around, all the while my stress and frustration level grew. Finally, I found myself in front of the Hotel where I picked up my bib. I thought… worth a shot. I went in to the area where the pre-race stuff was set up… but it was all closed and gone. RATS!
I looked around and found one pin an a table that was still set up. Score! Just needed 3 more. I went to the table where I picked the bib up… nothing, nada. Then I looked around to see if anyone was watching and flipped up the table cloth to see if anyone dropped any and kicked them under the table. Score times 2! I was one pin away from my goal. =) I header over and checked out a few more tables and found pin #4. I was set, and ready for the marathon, though my stress level was pretty high over a stupid thing like safety pins.
I am especially embarrassed because, being my first marathon, I took great care to make sure I had everything in order, specifically so I could AVOID getting stressed out the night before. Next time… I buy some safety pins before the race. =)
PS Sub, don’t think I didn’t notice that you were injured BEFORE the Eugene marathon! =) I think if you get a good complete training cycle in without injury, you will shatter that 3:18 at Steamtown.
Jason/Steve I really do love the 305. I can get sat lock in my house before I even head out to run, and I run through a tunnel routinely and the darn thing doesn’t blink there either. The pace is also MUCH better. I can see current lap pace, overall pace, distance and elapsed time all on one screen. Sweet! Another major factor for me was the advanced interval runs and I program, since my new training schedule will have me running intervals once a week.
Lia, I think I am finally recovered now. Running a half marathon isn’t a smart way to start off really, but hey… you have to run them when they are in your backyard! =)
Of course… the next day was a 12 miler. Great. Sore butt, 12 miles. Argh. I forgot my GPS watch, so I just drove six miles up highway 101 on the coast, marked a spot, then headed back to the beach house to start my run. Unfortunately there were some hills on the 12 miler too. JOY! And then the stupid part… I come home and look at my training schedule and I was supposed to run 5 miles… not 12. It was supposed to be the beginning of a rest week.
By my run Tuesday, the familiar signs of overuse were springing up. Sore knees, shin splints and the like. My legs were also like logs out of water. Peachy. Despite heavy doses of vitamin I, I don’t think I will be 100% by Saturday. No worries though… I will just adjust my expectations slightly. Ah who am I kidding, I won’t adjust them one bit, I will just hurt more after it is all over.
Eugene marathon untold story:
The night before the Eugene marathon I got ready to pin my bib to my shirt, and realized I didn’t pick up any safety pins. My wife amazingly pulled three honking ones from her purse, but I didn’t want those rubbing against me for 26.2 miles, so I headed out searching for a drug store or some place I could buy some. Eugene must have something against Walmart, Fred Meyer and the like, because I couldn’t find anything that looked like a store. I just roamed around, all the while my stress and frustration level grew. Finally, I found myself in front of the Hotel where I picked up my bib. I thought… worth a shot. I went in to the area where the pre-race stuff was set up… but it was all closed and gone. RATS!
I looked around and found one pin an a table that was still set up. Score! Just needed 3 more. I went to the table where I picked the bib up… nothing, nada. Then I looked around to see if anyone was watching and flipped up the table cloth to see if anyone dropped any and kicked them under the table. Score times 2! I was one pin away from my goal. =) I header over and checked out a few more tables and found pin #4. I was set, and ready for the marathon, though my stress level was pretty high over a stupid thing like safety pins.
I am especially embarrassed because, being my first marathon, I took great care to make sure I had everything in order, specifically so I could AVOID getting stressed out the night before. Next time… I buy some safety pins before the race. =)
PS Sub, don’t think I didn’t notice that you were injured BEFORE the Eugene marathon! =) I think if you get a good complete training cycle in without injury, you will shatter that 3:18 at Steamtown.
Jason/Steve I really do love the 305. I can get sat lock in my house before I even head out to run, and I run through a tunnel routinely and the darn thing doesn’t blink there either. The pace is also MUCH better. I can see current lap pace, overall pace, distance and elapsed time all on one screen. Sweet! Another major factor for me was the advanced interval runs and I program, since my new training schedule will have me running intervals once a week.
Lia, I think I am finally recovered now. Running a half marathon isn’t a smart way to start off really, but hey… you have to run them when they are in your backyard! =)
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