TheRunningRev.Com

National Marathon's tomorrow

Tomorrow's race day and I'm excited. The weeks of training are over, no more twenty milers for a while! Am I ready, yes I am... Bring it on!

This time last year I was preparing to run my first 26.2 at the National Marathon and was full of nervous energy before the race. I had put in the training but had never gone the full distance, it was great unknown. One year later I'm ready to line up for my third marathon and have very different focus. I know I can finish the race, the question is how well will I be able to run on the day? 26.2 is no longer outside my comfort zone (although running 26.2 isn't comfortable!).

 

Over twelve months the question has changed from "can I do it?" to "how well can I do it?" Training makes us stronger, it makes us better at everything we do. If you have a goal, go for it, don't just say you'd like to try it some day, start training for it today and you will surprise yourself by what you can accomplish. I know I've surprised myself.

As for tomorrow's race...
The weather looks like it should be OK, perhaps a little cold with a low in the mid-30's and a high of about 55. Since the race begins right around sunrise it's going to be cold at the start. It's also going to be a little windy, 10-15 mph. Hopefully it won't impact my run too much.

Goals for tomorrow...

• Have fun
• Run 3:30
• Set a new PR

Time to go pick up the race packet.

Six days to marathon #3

With six days left the National Marathon I ran my last "long" run today, only eight miles as part of my taper. It was a great run at what felt like a very comfortable 7:47 pace. A little faster than goal pace... I hope to run an 8:00 pace for the first half and a 7:50-55 for the second... all depends on weather.

Twelve days to race

With twelve days to go to the National Marathon I am a week into my taper. Today was my last run over ten miles before the race, 11 miles ran at 7:56 pace.

It felt great to be out running with temps in the upper '40s and the sun shining brightly, doesn't get much better than that.

Second attempt at the National Marathon

I'm still sore today after chasing that soccer ball around on Monday evening. Muscles just aren't designed to run twenty miles and then sprint after a ball later in the day... hamstrings and quads are tight and full of lactic acid waste!

I finally took the time today to register for the National Marathon. This year they are using a corral start and I wasn't sure where to put myself! One corral is for 7:00 - 7:45 pace and the next one is for 7:46 - 8:30 pace. If conditions are perfect and I feel good I should be able to muster a 7:45 pace, so that's where I decided to put myself. I just have to remember not to run out of the gate to quickly.

Seventeen today

I'm one step closer to running the National Marathon again this year. Seventeen miles at a 7:59 pace. It wasn't an easy run but it was encouraging. It was a beautiful day for running, slightly overcast shy and 50 degree temperature.

Running and wondering about Boston

How great is it when you get to run outdoors in the sun and the temperature is hovering around fifty degrees? I don't think it gets much better than this.

This afternoon I headed out at 4:00 pm for an eleven mile jaunt to see if I could keep up a schedule that would allow me run the National Marathon at the end of March. The bigger question for me is whether I might possibly be able to run a 3:20 and qualify for Boston in 2009. I think if I did this I would be satisfied with accomplishing a significant level of marathon running.

Perhaps some of my readers will tell me this is not the way to train but my long runs are going to be run as close to race pace as I can manage to see if I can maintain a 7:40 pace over the longer distances. If I'm crazy please tell me. The last two (my first two) marathons I ran I did all my training at the pace I planned to run on race day and I accomplished my goals and never hit the wall, but I'm trying to take 23 minutes off my last race time which is a huge chunk. I may yet change my mind and push for a Boston time in the fall but that's when I'd like to take on the JFK 50!

Today run 11 miles at 7:34 pace, felt great, breathing a little harder than I'd like to have been but then I ran the Dam Hill, not the damn hill but the hill beside the dam, steep and long on the way out and really steep on the way back!

Will I Run the National Marathon This Year?

I'm trying to decide if I should run the National Marathon again this year? Last year it was my first marathon and I was delighted to break four hours. I'm in the middle of a two week trial right now to see if I feel like I can do it justice this year. If I do run I'd like to run a 3:30.

For a first marathon it was a blast, I was one of the featured runners on NBC4 as I worked to raise funds for the AIDS orphans through Team World Vision. This gave me a great motivation to run and I'm delighted to have raised some funds for a great cause.

This past Monday I pounded out 14 miles on the treadmill at an 8:00 pace, if the weather doesn't allow me do my long runs outside then there's no way I'm running it. (I can only tolerate about 4-5 miles on the treadmill). This coming Monday will be a fifteen mile run, if I feel good after that then I may be on for my first marathon of 2008 and my third overall.

Richmond Marathon

Managed to make it 26.2 on Saturday in 3:43:35. A pretty good run for me. I was through the half in about 1:50 and thought I could run a sub 3:40 but at mile 15 my left knee started to really hurt and it took all my energy just to keep going to the end.
I'll take an 8:35 pace this time, next time I'll shoot for an 8:15 pace.

If you are interested in running a great marathon I'd recommend Richmond. It bills itself as "America's Friendliest Marathon" and the course support was fantastic considering they only had 3,800 runners.