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.