Chasing 3 Hours: Hobbling to the Start Line

Chasing 3 Hours: Hobbling to the Start Line: Well, I still plan on kicking off my Twin Cities Marathon plan on Monday.  I was hoping to go into this cycle with a lot more miles under my...

Hobbling to the Start Line

Well, I still plan on kicking off my Twin Cities Marathon plan on Monday.  I was hoping to go into this cycle with a lot more miles under my belt and a back that didn't feel so wonky.  But it is what it is and my plan is still to train hard and shoot for the goal of 2:49:49.  I wrote the plan last week and it looks something like this:

     Monday doubles - 4 easy in the morning and 6 to 7 with the Williston group in the evening

     Tuesday Progression - range from 8 to 11 miles, pace from 9:00 to sub 6:30

     Wednesday doubles - morning range from 6 to 12 and evening will be 6 easy

     Thursday track - jog down to Minnetonka HS at 5 am and run the track hard.  800m to 1 mile
      intervals.

     Friday easy - 8 to 10 easy in the morning

     Saturday MLR - range from 8 to 16

     Sunday LR - range from 12 to 22

I am guessing my weekly high week will be around 100 miles with an average of about 90.  What's different about this plan is the consistent track workouts every Thursday.  I think I have maxed out the endurance with the high mileage over the past few years and need to get some speed and fluidity  back.  Second significant difference is the back to back long runs on the week end.  Really, this is done out of necessity; I coach a marathon group on Saturday, but at a pace that is slower than what I need for proper stimulus.  So, I will have an easy MLR on Saturday and a bit faster LR on Sunday.  Looks good on paper anyway.

I had my second consecutive scratch from a race, bailing on the Brian Kraft 5K on Monday.  The back was bad again and kept me from running.  I think I have finally found the right regimen of icing, stretching and conditioning to get back to running properly, at least I hope that's the case.  I will attempt to race this Saturday at the Liz Logelin 5k at Lake Harriet.  Can't afford to take any more mulligans in the Grand Prix!

Chasing 3 Hours: Training Starts June 1

Chasing 3 Hours: Training Starts June 1: Since last October I have taken time off, had failed training attempts at the mile and 10k, logged a fair amount of miles, all just biding m...

Training Starts June 1

Since last October I have taken time off, had failed training attempts at the mile and 10k, logged a fair amount of miles, all just biding my time until marathon training starts.  I now have a date.  June 1st marks 18 weeks from the start of the Twin Cities Marathon.  I find that I respond well to a longer training cycles, so June 1st it is.  How perfect, June 1st is a Monday, so my training plan is a nice and neat little package.  I don't plan on anything too radically different than last year; average mileage per week of 88 to 90, Tuesday quality run, Wednesday MLR, long run and racing on the week-end.  I have two levels of goals, A =2:49:59, B=2:53:59.  Everything would have to go right to hit that A goal, but everybody needs to dream right?

The back is better.  Turns out it is really not my back at all, just tight abductors and IT band, and I still think my Psoas muscle is the culprit.  Whatever it is, the stretching is working and I ran every day this week except Thursday, which was a traveling day at work.

Also, I am kicking of training season with a race.  The Brian Kraft 5k is tomorrow and I am signed up.  It's a USATF team race and I hope to run between 18:30 and 18:45.  It's a fast course, but I am not in the best of shape.  Certainly a long way from PR condition.

Chasing 3 Hours: Frustrating Week

Chasing 3 Hours: Frustrating Week: Had a frustrating week, mainly because of lower back spasms that came out of nowhere.  This lower back problem is nothing new, I usually mis...

Frustrating Week

Had a frustrating week, mainly because of lower back spasms that came out of nowhere.  This lower back problem is nothing new, I usually miss a few days every year because of this.  I have been through physical therapy and all different regimens of stretching and conditioning, but this damn back problem still shows up unexpectedly.  This week was doubly frustrating because the back spasms started the same day as the TC Mile, a race I was really looking forward to.  So, I am determined to not let this happen again. The appointment has been made at my trusty chiropractor and in addition to the typical adjustments, I am not leaving his office until I have a solid conditioning plan and a determination as to what is causing this.

Not only did I miss a race, but my grand plans for high mileage were dashed as well.  I started out the week getting my 10 miles per day when the back went wonky.  I missed running Thursday, Friday and the 20-miler on Saturday.  Not only did I not run on Thursday and Friday, but I found it a challenge just to stand upright!  Saturday, I felt better, but I also knew that a 20 miler was not a good idea, so I paced my Williston group on a bike.  Like magic, the long slow bike ride seemed to loosen up my hips and the back instantly felt better.  What a relief.  May test it out today for an easy 6.

Yes, I'll be back at it next week, shooting for 80 miles plus.  Twin Cities and Boston Marathons are waiting.

Mile Not MILES Week

I continue my slow build of mileage. As I mentioned last week, I was being a bit too deliberate and cautious, so I forced myself to run plus 70 miles this week.  Not much quality to speak of, but after Saturday's race, this old body needed a rest.  Racing continues this week on Thursday with the TC Mile in downtown Minneapolis.  New course this year, a simple drag race down Hennepin Avenue.  I think I can break 5:30 if the weather is decent.

The following week the mileage build continues; I will run an easy long run on Saturday with the Williston crew, then follow up with the 5th race of the Grand Prix Series, the MDRA Mississippi  10-miler.  I should be closer to 80 miles that week.

Congrats to Kurt Jewell for getting his Boston qualifying time in Fargo yesterday.  Looks like I will have someone to train with for 2016 Boston!

 

It's Still There

Had a bit of a pleasant surprise this week end.  I raced the Jump To It 10k Saturday and came within two seconds of breaking 38 minutes.  I was concerned that with my lack of quality running and the countless miles at a very easy pace over the past months would have caused me to lose fitness and somehow soften my resolve.  The 6:07 pace felt pretty good and natural, in fact I cranked out the last mile in 5:58.  It was a flat course and it was a perfect morning, but I will take it.  Curious now to see what will happen to that 10k time after a full training cycle.  Let's not give up on them PR's just yet!

The mileage challenge for May has been set; 300 plus miles or else.  I have been very deliberate in my mileage increase so far this year, perhaps a little too cautious, and it is time to cut loose a bit.

Next race is the TC Mile in downtown Minneapolis.  Nothing like an all out drag race down Hennepin Avenue to get the blood pumping and those competitive juices flowing.

Boston Marathon Fun Fact - I want to meet Bennett Beach; he has run 46 consecutive Boston Marathons, with a PR of 2:27:26 in 1981.

Lastly, congrats to Malena Larsen who raced her first 10k and despite getting lost, still met her goal and placed first in her age group!  Well done!

Happy Running!

Rick