Time 2 Run

It's been a week since the marathon. I feel great! I haven't run one bit. I have also been eating like a horse! It's like my body feels I have some making up to do. I have a 10K to run this weekend, so I'll be running in the morning. Looking forward to my first run back.

Baystate Marathon 2010, Reflection

First 5 miles, PERFECT! Weather was also PERFECT for a marathon - around 50 and virtually no wind.. First 13 miles right around a 7:50 minute pace. ...but I just couldn't pick up the pace! I needed a 7:39 pace for 26.2 miles... It was REALLY WEIRD! I've been working on my speed work over the past month and NEVER had a problem picking up the speed. I had to slow myself down most of the time. Sunday, it just wasn't happening. It was just one of those OFF days that you sometimes get. Sunday happened to be mine. I'm actually not at all upset with it. When you are going 26.2 miles you need to be ON if you are pushing the limits, and I wasn't. Well.. there will be more marathons to come. Next year is all about 'fun' runs and Grand Prix races with my running group. The CRR group is awesome and had a great visit with some of them today.

Official time - 3:59:36.9 Funny story on that. My ankle was hurting and I was cramping some at mile 24, so I shut it down a bit, no reason to push it at this point... I REALLY didn't care what I finished in at this point, not upset, just knew I wasn't going to BQ. I don't wearglasses or contacts when I run, but I saw the woman ahead of me sprinting like crazy! So I squinted, saw the time in the 3:50's, so I gave it all I had and JUST made it under 4 hours. The race had started late, so I was looking at my watch at the time and just assumed I had missed that mark. Oops!

I'm putting in for a waiver with my running group to get into the Boston Marathon for 2011. I don't think I'll get the waiver this year, but you won't get it if you don't put in for it.

The Boston Marathon registration closed up in 8 hours this year! Note to self, make sure you register in the first hour when you qualify!

Thanks for everyone's support and well wishes going into this race. I really do appreciate it!! My beautiful wife and daughters babied me when I got home... I've got an awesome family!

October 2010 - Taper to Baystate

I will have less than 50 miles before Baystate. I think my body needed the extra rest. I have an old ankle injury that was really flaring up the last couple of weeks in September, so I took out a few runs to give it some extra healing time. I think it may have been my worn out shoes, so I've changed then out with a pair of ASICS Gel Fortitude 3's and did a marathon pace run in them. It felt great, and virtually no pain, just a little stiffness.

I'm not finding it difficult to taper for this marathon. I'm either ready or I'm not. I feel more ready for this marathon than I did for either of my first two. Mentally I'm ready and focused. I know I can push my body through it. Looking back at my training I can point out all the places that I COULD have done better. My focus is on what I did right. I think September was an Excellent training month, and I know I can do this. Now it's execution time.

My goals: Qualify for Boston (3:20), Just under 8:00 pace the first 5 miles, keep at a 7:30 pace through each of the next 15 miles, AND see what I'm made of the last 10K.

September 2010 - 178 miles

This was kind of a weird month, and I turned 42. I focused on building my base back up, but I knew I needed work on my 'speed'. I was NOT ready to complete 26.2 in 3 hours, 20 minutes and 59 seconds... NOT EVEN CLOSE!! I changed my training up a little bit to incorporate more speed work, and I think I have accomplished what I need to for October. I had a touch of a stomach/flu bug towards the end of the month. I was on pace for my first 200+ month, but I took out a couple of runs and shortened a couple because of the illness. Otherwise I think pretty good month! Great month considering what I did in August. My marathon pace runs were RIGHT ON TARGET, and it felt easy!

August 2010 - 58 miles

Say What?! 58 miles?! That's what I said when I got to September... We had my brother's George's wedding. Although this was a MUCH easier wedding, and a LOT less stressful, my wife got sick while we were down there. So... Travel to to Charleston, West Virginia + Sick Wife + being in another wedding. Not a lot of training, and this was a 2 week period! Yikes! I also blew my back out.... Very painful. I gave it enough rest to heal, I think. Although mentally a much better month, physically I felt destroyed. Not good when you are less than 8 weeks from your marathon!!!! If I don't qualify for Boston, I'm blaming my brothers for having weddings so close together. (JK, kind of) Doubts were creeping in, but keeping a positive attitude and doing what I can next month to accomplish my task of Qualifying for Boston.

July 2010 - 122 Miles

I got out of sync this month with my runs. My brother Tim had his wedding, and I had a difficult time getting out for runs with travel time to and from Philly along with family stuff since I was IN the wedding. The family stuff put a BIG time stress load on me and I had a hard time getting myself back into the training mode. We didn't get a lot of support from family while we were there which made it much more stressful than it needed to be. My girls needed a little more from me in the weeks to follow since our whole schedule had been blown up. I have 3 little girls who thrive on routine, so it was a TOUGH month mentally.

June 2010 - 195 miles

Just building the base mileage. I was really enjoying my runs this month. 22 miles was my long run for the month. Still keeping things in Heart Rate Range.

May 2010 Training - 169 miles

The Miles include the marathon since it really was a training run for Baystate. Started in earnest with my Heart Rate Training. Definitely saw an improvement in my pace at 75 - 80% of my max Heart Rate. I was definitely building a good base for Baystate.

Providence Marathon - 4:33 May 3rd, 2010

Well, marathon number 2 completed. This was about what I was expecting. I ended up walking for a bit after mile 20. Ran part of the way with some friends doing the marathon and some doing the 1/2. What a beautiful day! After mile 13 I decided to push myself harder than I knew I was ready for Fitness wise. I was feeling Great! After Mile 20, I started to come unglued. I was short of breath and had a hard time keeping it going. I walked all the uphills at that point. I had some great conversations with some people while we were recovering on those walks! I figure with a 6 week 1/2 hearted training schedule I can't complain!

Special thanks to Kristen, Bobby, Pat and Shannon for the company at the beginning. Sorry I missed you guys before and after the race. Nice job to each of you! Shannon, thanks for the T-shirt too!