Chasing Five Minutes

Every year I say it and 2014 is no exception. Post Twin Cities Marathon, after a little break, I get the urge to train for the mile. I mean really train, weight training, hours at the track and lots of painful speed. I have an A, B and C goal. Goal A is a biggie; run a sub five minute mile! Sounds like it will hurt; alot! Goal B is sub 5:10, which sounds only slightly less painful. Goal C is a PR of 5:16, which I managed last summer on the track with no specific mile training.

So, when is the race and how do I get there?  My goal race would be Meet of the Miles at the U of M Fieldhouse in January.  I run it every year and my fastest time was 5:23, so obviously I have my work cut out for me.  The worst part of racing at the Fieldhouse is all the dry, dusty air.  By the end of the race, your lungs are raw, followed by a 30 minute coughing jag.  They supply a load of cough drops, but the dusty air is too much.  I digress.  I have 10 or 11 weeks to prepare.  I have been reviewing some on-line plans and most of them seem way too light in the miles.  I realize this is a only a mile, but maintaining my well earned endurance is important to me.  The rough outline for the plan will be something like this; 40 to 60 miles per week, strength training 3 times per week, running drills twice per week, 200 to 800 meter intervals at 1 mile/5k pace twice per week and lots and lots of hills.  Honestly, I really think this will be more difficult than an 18-week marathon plan.

I've penciled it all out and here is what a typical week will look like:

• Monday - 4 to 6 easy with 30 minutes strength training
• Tuesday - 6 to 8 miles with 8 x 200 meters in 38 seconds
• Wednesday - 6 to 8 miles with 30 minutes strength training
• Thursday - 4 to 6 miles including running drills
• Friday - 6 to 8 miles with hills and hill sprints
• Saturday - 4 to 6 miles with 4 x 800 meters in 2:50
• Sunday - long run of 8 to 12 miles with hills

I have already started.  Yesterday, after a brief warm-up, I did 20 minutes of strength training.  Push ups, pull ups, Roman Chair, leg press, upper body free weight, planks and leg lifts. Than I finished up on the treadmill, running at a 9% grade for 4 minutes twice. Today I hit the track and after a couple miles warm up, I ran 4 x 400 meters, all in 1:24 or below.  I ran about 2 minutes easy between sets.  My running was controlled and breathing easy.  The goal is to get these 400 meters down to a 1:15 pace in 30 days, all at a controlled, manageable pace.  

Let the pain begin! Happy Running! Rick

2014 Twin Cities Marathon Race Report

What a perfect day for a marathon!  Almost too perfect, as I was kind of guilty of a rookie mistake today, going out too fast.  I had a good, restful taper and that coupled with the 37 degree temps meant a fast start.  Mile 1 was 6:22!  Oops!  Luckily there is a hill at mile 2, so I dropped back down to a more sensible pace.  I kept holding back, every mile, but most of my splits were 6:32, 6:33, 6:28, 6:30 for mile after mile.  It all felt so effortless and I have to admit, I got a little cocky.  Instead of taking my foot off the gas, I went for it.  I hit the half at 1:25:40, which was a full minute faster than what I had planned.  I slowed a bit on West River Road, I had developed a huge blister on the top of my left big toe and it finally popped at mile 16.  With that out of the way, I was back on 6:30 pace for mile 17.  I thought my goal was in the bag and was thinking I could get this sucker down to 2:50, then it hit me.  By mile 19, I had slowed to 6:45 and I hadn't even hit the hills yet.  I refocused at mile 20 and ran another 6:35, which was encouraging.  Mile 21 was the first hill and I maintained a 6:46 pace.  The goal of 2:52:59 was still alive.  Mile 22 was bad, not even breaking 7 minute pace.  I thought I would bounce back at mile 23, but there was not much left.  I finished the last 3 miles in 6:58, 6:42 and 6:58.  Final time was 2:53:59, 1 minute short of my goal, but 1 minute faster than last year and a new PR!

After crossing the finish line, I looked down at my left foot and my pretty lime green Brooks shoes had a big blood stain across the toe box.  After further examination, the blister popped and all the skin from the top of my toe peeled back.  It was not a pretty sight.  Of course, I proceeded to show the entire family!  

I ran a pretty good race, but the highlight of the day was watching my daughter complete her first marathon.  For better or worse, I coached her through her first training cycle.  Not only did she finish with relative ease on low mileage training, but she negative split her first marathon.  Twin Cities is not an easy course to do that and on her first time nonetheless.  Congrats to a very special young gal!

Now for some well-deserved time off!

Happy Running!

Rick