When 2 miles Seem Like 20

This week, I spent Friday night and Saturday with my family down at my sister's farm in Boone, CO, east of Pueblo. I wasn't quite sure how it was going to work out, because my training plan called for 22 miles on Saturday. And generally after a long run, I'm not very interactive - I stretch, shower, do my nutritional recovery routine, take a brief nap, then I start to come back around.

I think it is hard to understand what it is like to recover from a 20 mile run unless you've done it. I know I certainly didn't understand. Read more » When 2 miles Seem Like 20

Follow the Directions

Looking back on my 11 weeks of marathon training, one thing that has become clear to me is just how little I knew when I started. I knew how to do an interval workout, a tempo run, and I was doing long runs of 11 miles or so on a regular basis. But I didn't know how to put all of that together in to a plan designed to achieve a specific goal. I didn't really understand how significant an impact hills and snow could have on effort. And even though I carried water and gels on my long runs, I didn't have a good handle on how to stay hydrated and fueled. For the last few weeks, one thing I knew I didn't understand was how to recover from a long run of more than 15 miles.

I'm not even sure how I knew I didn't know. Maybe I'm giving myself too much credit. Read more » Follow the Directions

What am I Supposed to Do?

When I first got my custom training program from Greg McMillan, I couldn't wait to read through the whole plan. I wanted to know what I was going to be doing to get ready for Napa - using the training principles I had read about on www.mcmillanrunning.com. Principles that were consistent with my reading over the years and with some of my training experience. Not that any of my training experience didn't fit with the principles, it was more that my training experience was a little lacking in some areas.

One of the things that caught my attention was the Choose Your Workout days that appeared at two different points in the plan. "Brilliant!" I thought. Read more » What am I Supposed to Do?

Staying the Course

Saturday's run was my first Fast Finish Long Run. The idea behind the FFLR is to get your body and mind used to running at planned marathon pace (PMP) when you are tired. I have 4 of these in my training plan. The FFLR's combined with the 2 Yasso 800 work outs represent the marathon predictor component of my training plan. The theory being that if I can complete these workouts according to the plan, then I am ready to run my marathon at PMP.

The way the FFLR works is to run the first part of your long run at your normal long run pace. Then finish the run with several miles at PMP. Here's what my FFLR plan looks like: Read more » Staying the Course

Assessing FIRST - Part 3 Specificity

Since I left behind my FIRST training plan for a custom training plan purchased from Greg McMillan I have had many miles to reflection on why I felt the need to make the change. One of the things I keep thinking about is a well known principle of training, the principle of specificity. Generally, the principle says that if you want to be a runner, the most effective training is to run. You train for what you want to be good at. In FIRST they take the principle a little farther. The principle is applied to training paces, temperature and humidity during training vs projected temperature and humidity during the key race, hills etc. It may be why there is no flexibility on the pace of a work out.

For me, the principle is not a lot of help beyond keeping me focused on running. Read more » Assessing FIRST - Part 3 Specificity

Improved Fit

A little over a week ago I decided it was time to get a new pair of shoes. I had passed 300 miles on my current New Balance 1063's and knew it was just a matter of a couple of weeks before I would need to retire them. Seems like now that I'm a little on the older side, 400 miles is about all I get out of a pair of shoes. Not only were my 1063's getting on in miles, but I was starting to have a pain on the top of my left foot. It came out of nowhere on a cool down run from the track back to my house.

I say 'out of nowhere' because I had put close to 300 miles on these shoes and were convinced they were the best running shoes I had ever owned. Read more » Improved Fit

All's Well that Ends Well

Saturday was one of those days when I couldn't seem to get anything right. I got up and as I usually do, had my morning cup of coffee. I drank almost the entire cup while doing some reading, then realized it had been about an hour since I had gotten out of bed. And I hadn't had my oatmeal yet. Since I need to wait at least an hour after having my oatmeal before going on my long run, this oversight was pushing back my start time a bit. Oh, and not to mention that the only oatmeal in the house takes 15 minutes to cook. So I got my breakfast together, then started to get ready for my run.

The weather showed it was going to be a nice day, it was already in the 30's (F) and should be near 50 by the time I was done. Read more » All's Well that Ends Well

Yeah, so?

Today's workout called for 8 to 10 Yasso 800s. If you have done any reading or research on the Yasso 800s, you'll know that there is a reasonable amount of controversy concerning the workout. The Yasso 800 workout was named after a favorite workout of Bart Yasso, by Amby Burfoot of RunnersWorld. You can read about the origin of the work out here. The controversy seems to come from what might be a misunderstanding of how the workout should be used.
Read more » Yeah, so?

Out of Place - Part 2

I asked my nephew to inquire of a personal friend of his, the head track coach at a local high school, about use of public school tracks by the public. The coach would have let me use the track at his school, but unfortunately their track is covered with ice at one end. He suggested I contact the head track coach at the high school near me and seemed to think that if I got to the right person, there would be no issues. I figured the best time to call was after 2:30 pm, assuming that classes might be done for the day and the staff would still be at the school. The only problem I was having was that between 2:30 and 5:00 I've been tied up the last couple of days.

And my next track workout is tomorrow. Read more » Out of Place - Part 2

Still Learning

It seems almost every time I lace up my shoes, I learn something. Sometimes it's hard to say that it is something new - I may be simply experiencing a truth I have read about and now having experienced it, I am able to internalize it. Said differently, some people only learn from their own mistakes and that is pretty much me. The horror stories of other people's mistakes, or the success stories of other people's wise choices are easy for me to take in, but it seems that I generally end up thinking that somehow I'm different.

Probably just arrogance on my part. At best, it's ignorance. This week I decided to do my long run from home. Read more » Still Learning

Out of Place

The last couple of weeks weather has allowed me to actually do my interval workouts on a local track. Last week's workout was 7 x 1000 meters with 3 x 220 for good measure at the end. This week's workout was 4 x 2000 meters with those pesky 3 x 220 as a wrap up. Both workouts went very well. I have to say those type of workouts are my favorite. I like them better than shorter and faster intervals. I also like them better than a long slow run. After both workouts I have felt built up. Even though I was quite tired (from duration more than speed), I felt strong. If that makes sense.

Both of these workouts were much better than they ever could have been on a treadmill. But I am having one issue. Read more » Out of Place

Resolution

I'm not really one for New Year's resolutions. Come New Year's eve, I generally have other things on my mind besides what I should change for the coming year. My mind doesn't really work on a annual cycle - I think it is more real time. Once I recognize an issue or opportunity, I make changes. No time like the present. But I know for some folks, it just works better to pick a time in the future to make a change. For me, if I put it off until some day in the future, that day is likely to never come.

On Saturday I decided to head back out to the trail for my long run. Read more » Resolution

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I am most of the way through this week's training, leaving a little less than 10 weeks until race day. I'm starting to get nervous. Or maybe concerned is a better word. I'm still looking for a good experience on a 18 or longer mile run. And I'm not confident I can actually stay on my feet for 26.2 miles. I suppose that is one of differences between my marathon training and my half marathon training. For the half marathon, I actually had run 13 miles twice before the race. There was never any question in my mind that I could finish, I just wasn't sure what kind of pace I would be able to run.

I'm not in a total panic however, but my heart rate kicks up a notch when I think of race day. Read more » Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes