Plugging along toward Boston

It's been a couple weeks since my last post. I've been pretty busy.

Things are going really well in preparation for Boston. Last week, I ran 60 miles.

I just completed 67 miles this week. Highlights of this week's workouts included:

• Wednesday - 6x1200m repeats w/ 2 min recovery jog
  
• Sunday - 20 miles w/ 15 at goal marathon pace

I completed both of these workouts with very high quality. In addition, that makes two weeks in a row that I completed a strong 20 miler.

Boston is three weeks away tomorrow. I feel that I am tracking pretty closely to sub 3:00 condition once again.

If I look at my online training log over the past couple of week's runs, the results are strikingly similar to the same weeks of Austin cycle that I completed in January.

Cary Half Marathon Report

Yesterday, I set a new half marathon PR at the March Madness race up in Cary, IL.

My watch said 1:26:38 and I think the official time was 1:26:42. There is no chip timing at this race and I was slightly behind the start line.

You can see splits and details of the run on my training log. I'm now using the cool GPS upload feature that the Runningahead site offers. Now you can see my routes for my outside runs.

I was a bit concerned about whether or not the legs would hold up late in the race given I'm a peak training mileage right now. I faded substantially late in the race, particularly when I hit the killer hill at back of mile 10.

I guess it's silly to be disappointed over a 2:40 PR, but I feel that, if properly rested, I am in about 1:24-1:25 shape. McMillan will tell you that my 2:59:10 in Austin last month is good for a sub-1:25 half.

I thought for sure I'd be able to hold onto a 1:25, but things fell apart for me late. That's OK. I feel good about my run and my fitness level. I hope I can get back to sub-3 shape for Boston on April 20th.

I rounded out yesterday's race with an afternoon recovery run. This got me to 70 miles to the week exactly as planned. Note: This is only my second 70-mile week ever.

Focus: Repeating sub-3 at Boston

Training for Boston is in full swing. I am pleased to have put in my first 60-mile week since late January. I think I really handled the transition from Austin recovery back into training extremely well.

If I look at my online log since running in Austin on Feb 15th, I ran weeks of 15, 42 and 60 miles the past three weeks.

On Saturday, I put in what is now becoming one of my staple "simulated" 10k races on the treadmill. With the incline set at 1%, I nailed the 6.21 mile distance in 37:55, which is a predictor data point for sub 2:58.

Yesterday, our weather was horrible. I had planned to connect with Liz, one of the new runners that will be involved with the launch of the PRRC, for an 18-miler.

After several phone calls and waiting out the weather, we decided to forget it and resigned ourselves to our home treadmills. Good call. We received over 2.5 inches of rain and flash flood warnings.

I was pleased to be able to put in a solid 18-mile workout with not a single stop and several incline/decline intervals in 2:16:20.

This week, I'm going to try for another 70-mile week, which would be only my second ever if I could pull it off. You can always count on Pfitz's programs to keep you challenged. This week is no exception.

I will cap it all of with what I hope will be an earth-shattering PR at the March Madness Half Marathon. All signs point to a 1:24, so that is the goal. This would be a 5-minute PR, which was set at, guess where else, the March Madness Half Marathon 2008.

This week's schedule:

Tue - 11 miles w/6x1000m repeats - 90 sec jog
Wed - 15 miles
Thu -AM: 6 miles recovery + PM: 4 miles recovery
Fri - 12 miles
Sat - 4 recovery
Sun - 13.1M RACE + 4.9 recovery

Total: 70 miles

Back on the run - in more ways than one

I've basked in the glory of my sub-3 run at Austin enough for now.  I'm back at work training again.

Up next is the March Madness Half Marathon in Cary, IL, which I will run for the 3rd year in a row.  Ironically, I have my PR year from last year.  

It would be nothing less of a disaster to not at least shave three minutes to a new PR of 1:26.  I am training up for a 1:24.

Also, things are really picking up with the PRRC.  Planning efforts have begun to take up a considerable amount of my time, but I am enjoying it so far.  

I am really excited about the network of passionate runners here in Plainfield, IL that I have stumbled upon over the past few weeks.

We will be kicking off this club on April 22.  I am quite excited about being part of a running club in my hometown.