jimseal@geocities.com WEEKLY UPDATE:
It was cancelled due to rain!
That's right!
CANCELLED!
OK folks, here's the story. I followed an 18 week training plan last year to prepare
for my first marathon. This plan had the 2 longest runs at 20
miles each. The philosophy of the training plan creator was that if you could go 20 miles,
the other 6.2 would not be that big of a problem especially with the mass crowd support
that the runners would be receiving. Now that may work in Boston or New York with tons of
spectators, but it just isn't going to be the case in a smaller run. I learned first hand
that the 20 milers didn't prepare me either physically or mentally for the enormous amount
of stress that I endured. The last 6.2 miles took as long for me to complete as the first
13.1!!
I had 6 months to analyze what I did wrong, and to listen and read the advice of those
marathoners who are more experienced than I. I devised a 26 week plan that I am currently
using, with the goal of finishing this year's marathon more gracefully and comfortably.
This training schedule revolves completely around the weekly long run. Each goal
distance in the table below is the distance for the weekly Saturday long run. Training
will also include some cycling and swimming thrown in a couple of times per week. My usual
weekly runs will not vary and go something like this:
M=5,Tu=8,W=5,Th=7,Fr=5,Sat=(long run),Sun=rest
Week |
Goal Distance (mi.) |
Date |
Actual Distance |
Comments |
| 1 | 10 | 7-Jun | 10 | Ran slow, steady 8:30 pace. No problems. Water at 5 mi. |
| 2 | 12 | 14-Jun | 12 | Ran slow, steady. Super hot and humid - was exhausted! |
| 3 | 10 | 21-Jun | 10 | Ran slow, steady 8:30 pace. No problems. Water at 5 mi. |
| 4 | 12 | 28-Jun | 0 | Prior commitments caused delay and neck injury! |
| 5 | 14 | 5-Jul | 0 | Still injured! |
| 6 | 10 | 12-Jul | 10 | Ran slow, steady 9:00 pace. |
| 7 | 12 | 19-Jul | 0 | Committed all weekend, kids come first! |
| 8 | 12 | 26-Jul | 12 | Felt great, liquids at 4 and 8, Need to get with it! |
| 9 | 14 | 2-Aug | 14 | Felt OK, liquids at 4,8,12; Raw Nips! |
| 10 | 15 | 9-Aug | 15 | Felt OK during but exhausted after. Liquids at 4,8,12 |
| 11 | Duathlon |
16-Aug | 0.5/11/5K | Woolmarket Duathlon - this was great, I'm hooked! |
| 12 | 16 | 23-Aug | 0 | Injured - smashed toe - tragic pool cleaning accident |
| 13 | 17 | 30-Aug | 0 | Still injured- smashed toe |
| 14 | 16 |
6-Sep |
16 | Felt good, liquids at 4,8,12 Need to get back on track! |
| 15 | 18 |
13-Sep |
18 | Felt OK. Liquids at 4,8,12,16. PowerBar just before. |
| 16 | 12 |
20-Sep | 12 | Felt fine, like a casual stroll in the park! Liquids at 4,8 |
| 17 | 20 |
27-Sep | 20 | Felt OK. Liquids at 4,8,12,16. Self confidence is building. Steady 9:00 pace. Powerbar just before. |
| 18 | 12 |
5-Oct | 8 | Ran 2 days late and with limited time. |
| 19 | 21 |
11-Oct | 21 | Felt as expected. Liquids at 4,8,12,16. Negative splits with first half around 9:00 pace and 8:30 - 8:45 for remainder. |
| 20 | 12 |
18-Oct | 12 | Felt OK. Ran 7:30 - 8:00 pace. Liquids at 4,8 |
| 21 | 22 |
25-Oct | 22 | Super HOT and HUMID! Very physically draining. Kept pace at 8:30 - 9:00 until 19 miles. Pace fell off significantly after to 9:30 - 9:45. Liquids at 4,8,12,16,20. Powerbar before. |
| 22 | 12 |
1-Nov | 12 | Super hot and humid again. Paced at sub 7:30 for the first 5 and then slowed to 7:45 - 8:15 for the rest. Liquids at 4,8. |
| 23 | 23 |
8-Nov | 20 | Decided at the last minute to test faster pacing. Ran 8:00 - 8:10 miles consistently, with 3 slips to ~8:30 in early miles, and 1 at mile 18. Since pace was stepped up, decided to back off on the distance and stop at 20 to avoid any chance of injury. Felt good for entire run. GREAT weather! Powerbar before. Liquids at 4,8,12,16 and Clif bar at 12. Ready for the big show! |
| 24 | 12 |
15-Nov | 10K | Did a 10K at work on 13-Nov night as tune up. Ran 46:26. Now dealing with a strained right shin. Took next 4 days off running. Only light cycling 1 day. Will resume taper and monitor shin closely. |
| 25 | 8 |
22-Nov | 4 | Pain and fear of really making my injury worse made me decide to quit after just 4 miles. Hopefully I will be OK by Saturday. Only cycling - no more running this week. |
| 26 | 26.2 |
29-Nov | 0.0 | CANCELLED!!!!! |
I welcome any comments or suggestions jimseal@geocities.com