Today was another reminder that winter isn't over here in Hog Heaven. It is cold and brisk, if sunny. At least it was still sunny early in the day when I went out for a 7-mile maintenance run. Again, since I'm coming off a 24-mile LSD on Thursday, I took this one slow and easy. The good news is that I seem to be completely recovered from my effort on Thursday. Tomorrow is cross training.
Time's a wastin'. I still haven't decided which (long) races to schedule for later this year. I'm registered (and training) for the May 6 Colorado Marathon. After that, who knows? The problem is that several popular races that I've been considering begin (and end) registration this month. (The Colorado Marathon is capped and usually closes early too, but I knew last fall that I wanted to run it. Good thing since it closed before Dec. 31.)
The ever-popular Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. opens registration this week: March 7. The Marathon takes place on October 28 meaning that decisions have to be made almost eight months in advance. Even though it's the fourth largest U.S. marathon and the 9th largest in the world, last year's marathon sold out in just 28 hours. So, you can see the dilemma for runners: either decide within a couple of days or miss out. Since I don't see myself deciding by Wednesday, I'll likely be left out. For those who are interested, here's the site: http://www.marinemarathon.com/
One week later, the equally popular Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon opens registration: March 15. The Pikes Peak races are on August 18 (Ascent) and 19 (Marathon). Registration is capped at 1800 for the Ascent and 800 for the Marathon and usually closes within days. I'll probably miss that deadline too. But, for those who are interested and more decisive, here's the link: http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/entry.htm
Fortunately, my other alternatives--North Face Endurance Challenge in Madison, Wisc.; the Quad-Cities Marathon in my backyard; and the Amica Seattle Marathon in my son's backyard--remain options. The North Face events are capped, but registration for the Madison venue did not close last year. The other two are not capped. The North Face Endurance Challenge events can be found here: http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/ The Quad-Cities event here: http://qcmarathon.org/
I'm also waiting to see what happens with my son. Right now, he doesn't know where he'll be and what he'll be doing this fall so he can't make plans. If he's going to be out of the country over Christmas, we'll visit him for Thanksgiving. If we're going to be out in the Seattle area over Thanksgiving, we might as well run the marathon. The link for it is here: http://www.seattlemarathon.org/ I ran this race last fall and swore that I'd never run it again. But marathons are a bit like child birth. Or, so I hear. It doesn't take long to forget the bad parts and savor the good parts. The race itself is well-organized and run. The weather on race day last year was nasty: cool, rainy, and windy. (But, it was fall in Seattle.) And, there are a couple of wake-up hills in the second half.
Showing posts with label Quad-Cities Marathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quad-Cities Marathon. Show all posts
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
More LSD
So, I did my long run today: 24 miles, LSD. The weather was neutral: temps in the mid-30s, overcast sky, and light winds. I ran strong over the first third, faltered in the middle third, and finished strong. I don't know what happened there in the middle third, but I just kept grinding it out until things improved. I guess if they hadn't improved, I'd have kept grinding to the end. What can you do? I'm sure that I stayed hydrated and I ate energy bars (cut into 30/40 calorie chunks) every two miles starting at mile six. I checked my mile splits on my Garmin watch when I got home, and the middle miles were indeed slower than either the early or late miles. As that eminent philosopher (and distance runner) Forrest Gump said, "S___ happens."
*******************************************
Here's my dilemma, and I bet it's a common one among runners: I train as if more is better even though I know that's not always the case. Of course, more is better some of the time. Worse, others. The key to injury-free training and racing is recognizing the difference. Endurance athletes tend to be obsessive. That's probably what makes them endurance athletes. It's also what makes them push the envelope. Maybe it's also what makes them overly optimistic. I suffer from all of these character flaws. I've run only one marathon that I can recall that I didn't go out too fast. And suffer the consequences later. And, every time, I swore that it'd never happen again. Until the next time.
I ran two marathons and one ultra last year and was not happy with my any of my times. When I look at each performance rationally, it's clear that I went out too fast each time. That suggests (or would to a rational person) that the solution is to restrain myself at the start of this year's races. But, I can't help thinking that if I train harder, I can race harder and that will equal faster. So, I'm fiddling with my training schedule for my first big race this season: the May 6 Colorado Marathon. Last year, I did LSD once every three weeks after my long run reached twenty miles. This year, I've been running long every two weeks even though I hit 20 miles four weeks ago. So far, I feel good. No lingering fatigue. No injuries. But, there are two months to go, and it's too early to celebrate. So, I'm out there on the edge hoping for the best. Unless and until I wander over the edge, I'll continue to run long every two weeks until April 15. Then, I'll begin a three-week taper to May 6. So, there at the end at least, I'll have three weeks between long runs.
If I run well in Colorado, there's no telling what changes I'll make in my training regimen for the summer. I've just about decided to sign up for my hometown marathon in the fall: the September 23 Quad-Cities Marathon. A solid performance--measured against age division rivals--is my goal for Colorado. And, a reasonable one I think. But, what runner worth his/her PR is ever content with solid? We're always moving the goal posts. Then, we have to think of a way to get there. And while more isn't always the answer, it's the easiest one. Stay tuned.
Let's end this with a cliche that's apropos of runners:
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL.
*******************************************
Here's my dilemma, and I bet it's a common one among runners: I train as if more is better even though I know that's not always the case. Of course, more is better some of the time. Worse, others. The key to injury-free training and racing is recognizing the difference. Endurance athletes tend to be obsessive. That's probably what makes them endurance athletes. It's also what makes them push the envelope. Maybe it's also what makes them overly optimistic. I suffer from all of these character flaws. I've run only one marathon that I can recall that I didn't go out too fast. And suffer the consequences later. And, every time, I swore that it'd never happen again. Until the next time.
I ran two marathons and one ultra last year and was not happy with my any of my times. When I look at each performance rationally, it's clear that I went out too fast each time. That suggests (or would to a rational person) that the solution is to restrain myself at the start of this year's races. But, I can't help thinking that if I train harder, I can race harder and that will equal faster. So, I'm fiddling with my training schedule for my first big race this season: the May 6 Colorado Marathon. Last year, I did LSD once every three weeks after my long run reached twenty miles. This year, I've been running long every two weeks even though I hit 20 miles four weeks ago. So far, I feel good. No lingering fatigue. No injuries. But, there are two months to go, and it's too early to celebrate. So, I'm out there on the edge hoping for the best. Unless and until I wander over the edge, I'll continue to run long every two weeks until April 15. Then, I'll begin a three-week taper to May 6. So, there at the end at least, I'll have three weeks between long runs.
If I run well in Colorado, there's no telling what changes I'll make in my training regimen for the summer. I've just about decided to sign up for my hometown marathon in the fall: the September 23 Quad-Cities Marathon. A solid performance--measured against age division rivals--is my goal for Colorado. And, a reasonable one I think. But, what runner worth his/her PR is ever content with solid? We're always moving the goal posts. Then, we have to think of a way to get there. And while more isn't always the answer, it's the easiest one. Stay tuned.
Let's end this with a cliche that's apropos of runners:
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Out of gas
With most of the snow from last week's storm gone and bright sunshine streaming through the east-facing windows, it looked almost spring-like outside this morning. Appearances can be deceiving though. Sometimes you have to step outside to experience reality. With an air temp of 26 degrees and gusty northwest winds producing a wind chill of +13, outside reality quickly trumped inside hope. Reminding us once again that hope is more fragile than Humpty Dumpty.
After cross training yesterday, I put in a solid 90 minutes of running this morning. I wore my Brooks PureFlow for only the second time and really enjoyed them. They fit great, and best of all, have ample room in the forefoot. They also seem to encourage a faster turnover. The big test is durability and can't be known for quite a while. But, for now, I'm a happy Brooks camper.
The highlight of this week is a 24-mile long run, but until the weather picture comes into clearer focus, I don't know when that will be--somewhere between Friday and Sunday. Between now and then, I have a couple of days of maintenance runs and a couple of days of cross training. Stay tuned.
With gas prices on the rise--headed to $4 and higher according to the experts--I'm rethinking my racing plans for 2012. It's not that I can't afford the gasoline, it's that I don't want to afford it. Despite the speculators, oil prices (and that of derivatives like gasoline) eventually obey the law of supply and demand. So, if we don't like the high prices, we need to drive less. Ultimately, that will bring down prices. Plus, there's the environmental benefit of less oil/gas consumption.
I'm already signed up for the Colorado Marathon and have a room reserved in Ft. Collins. Not to mention, I've been training for a couple of months now. So, despite the run-up in gas prices, I'm going. It's 843 miles from my garage to Ft. Collins--1686 miles round-trip. My Honda CR-V gets about 25 mpg on the road. So, that's 67.44 gallons of gas. If the price is $4 by May 1 as many analysts are predicting, that's $269.76. Ouch! And, I keep telling everyone that running is an inexpensive activity.
But, my resolve not to encourage the oil companies by driving unnecessary miles means that I won't be signing up for the Pikes Peak Ascent in Manitou Springs in August. It also means that I'm leaning against running the North Face Endurance Challenge in Madison, Wisc., in September. Madison--actually Kettle Moraine State Park--is much closer to my home here in Hog Heaven than Colorado, but it's still 360 miles round-trip. That's not chopped liver. And, it's not like there aren't comparable events close to home.
Like my home-town marathon: the Quad-Cities Marathon. On September 23. See here for more information: http://qcmarathon.org/
The race features a flat, fast, and scenic course that crosses and re-crosses the Mississippi River from the start in Illinois to Iowa and back to the finish in Illinois. The marathon itself--there's also a half-marathon and 5K--attracts a respectable field of around 700 so it's large enough to be competitive but not overly crowded. And, the community support is excellent.
I haven't decided to sign up for the Quad-Cities Marathon, but I'm leaning that way. It just seems like the smart thing to do.
After cross training yesterday, I put in a solid 90 minutes of running this morning. I wore my Brooks PureFlow for only the second time and really enjoyed them. They fit great, and best of all, have ample room in the forefoot. They also seem to encourage a faster turnover. The big test is durability and can't be known for quite a while. But, for now, I'm a happy Brooks camper.
The highlight of this week is a 24-mile long run, but until the weather picture comes into clearer focus, I don't know when that will be--somewhere between Friday and Sunday. Between now and then, I have a couple of days of maintenance runs and a couple of days of cross training. Stay tuned.
With gas prices on the rise--headed to $4 and higher according to the experts--I'm rethinking my racing plans for 2012. It's not that I can't afford the gasoline, it's that I don't want to afford it. Despite the speculators, oil prices (and that of derivatives like gasoline) eventually obey the law of supply and demand. So, if we don't like the high prices, we need to drive less. Ultimately, that will bring down prices. Plus, there's the environmental benefit of less oil/gas consumption.
I'm already signed up for the Colorado Marathon and have a room reserved in Ft. Collins. Not to mention, I've been training for a couple of months now. So, despite the run-up in gas prices, I'm going. It's 843 miles from my garage to Ft. Collins--1686 miles round-trip. My Honda CR-V gets about 25 mpg on the road. So, that's 67.44 gallons of gas. If the price is $4 by May 1 as many analysts are predicting, that's $269.76. Ouch! And, I keep telling everyone that running is an inexpensive activity.
But, my resolve not to encourage the oil companies by driving unnecessary miles means that I won't be signing up for the Pikes Peak Ascent in Manitou Springs in August. It also means that I'm leaning against running the North Face Endurance Challenge in Madison, Wisc., in September. Madison--actually Kettle Moraine State Park--is much closer to my home here in Hog Heaven than Colorado, but it's still 360 miles round-trip. That's not chopped liver. And, it's not like there aren't comparable events close to home.
Like my home-town marathon: the Quad-Cities Marathon. On September 23. See here for more information: http://qcmarathon.org/
The race features a flat, fast, and scenic course that crosses and re-crosses the Mississippi River from the start in Illinois to Iowa and back to the finish in Illinois. The marathon itself--there's also a half-marathon and 5K--attracts a respectable field of around 700 so it's large enough to be competitive but not overly crowded. And, the community support is excellent.
I haven't decided to sign up for the Quad-Cities Marathon, but I'm leaning that way. It just seems like the smart thing to do.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Rarin' to Go
With much-improved weather today, I managed a solid six miles with a Magic Minute thrown in for good measure. I borrowed the Magic Minute concept from Jeff Galloway. It's a mile run at close to 5k tempo. I try to run them at c. 85/90% of 5K effort. I ran today's MM in 7:38. Not bad for me since I've done no speed work since mid-November.
The big news today, of course, is the results of yesterday's Olympic Trials Marathons. In a bit of an upset Meb Keflezighi defeated favorite Ryan Hall, who finished second. The third male qualifier for the Olympic Marathon was Abdi Abdirahman. On the women's side, favorite Sharlane Flanagan took the top spot. Desiree Davila and Kara Goucher round out the women's team. Congratulations to them all. I'm counting the days until the London Games!
Yesterday's Olympic Marathon Trials have me itching to toe the starting line at the Colorado Marathon this spring. Of course, the marathon is almost four months away and there's lots of training left to be done. If I'm correct, I finished the 10th week of my 26-week train-up today. So far, so good. I've done all the scheduled workouts with no problems or ill effects. There will inevitably be challenges ahead, including bouts of awful weather, but the memory of the Marathon Trials should help to keep spirits up. If that memory begins to fade, there's always the video of the Colorado Marathon posted on the Marathon's website: http://www.ftcollinsmarathon.com/
That video is the reason I signed up for the race. Last fall, I was surfing the web checking out marathons to run in 2012, and I clicked on the Colorado Marathon site. Then, I clicked on the video icon. That was it. I love Colorado anyway and here was this incredibly scenic course. The 1000' of elevation loss from start to finish didn't hurt. And, here I am with 16 weeks to go. Safely registered. Room reserved in Ft. Collins. Training going well. Life is good.
I'm still looking for a fall event: marathon or ultra. I'm considering returning to the North Face Endurance Challenge in Madison, Wisc. to reprise last fall's 50K or perhaps try the 50-Miles. I want to do the Marine Corps Marathon some day. Maybe this year. Last year, my wife and I joined our Army officer son for the Army 10-Miler in D.C. and had a blast. I've even thought about staying close to home and doing our local marathon: the Quad-Cities Marathon. I'm open to suggestions.
The big news today, of course, is the results of yesterday's Olympic Trials Marathons. In a bit of an upset Meb Keflezighi defeated favorite Ryan Hall, who finished second. The third male qualifier for the Olympic Marathon was Abdi Abdirahman. On the women's side, favorite Sharlane Flanagan took the top spot. Desiree Davila and Kara Goucher round out the women's team. Congratulations to them all. I'm counting the days until the London Games!
Yesterday's Olympic Marathon Trials have me itching to toe the starting line at the Colorado Marathon this spring. Of course, the marathon is almost four months away and there's lots of training left to be done. If I'm correct, I finished the 10th week of my 26-week train-up today. So far, so good. I've done all the scheduled workouts with no problems or ill effects. There will inevitably be challenges ahead, including bouts of awful weather, but the memory of the Marathon Trials should help to keep spirits up. If that memory begins to fade, there's always the video of the Colorado Marathon posted on the Marathon's website: http://www.ftcollinsmarathon.com/
That video is the reason I signed up for the race. Last fall, I was surfing the web checking out marathons to run in 2012, and I clicked on the Colorado Marathon site. Then, I clicked on the video icon. That was it. I love Colorado anyway and here was this incredibly scenic course. The 1000' of elevation loss from start to finish didn't hurt. And, here I am with 16 weeks to go. Safely registered. Room reserved in Ft. Collins. Training going well. Life is good.
I'm still looking for a fall event: marathon or ultra. I'm considering returning to the North Face Endurance Challenge in Madison, Wisc. to reprise last fall's 50K or perhaps try the 50-Miles. I want to do the Marine Corps Marathon some day. Maybe this year. Last year, my wife and I joined our Army officer son for the Army 10-Miler in D.C. and had a blast. I've even thought about staying close to home and doing our local marathon: the Quad-Cities Marathon. I'm open to suggestions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)