Marathon Training Summary: Week 16

Distance: 30.57
Time: 4:36:47
Pace: 9:03 min/mi

Comments: The final taper week was an anxiety-filled delight. I got one run in an then had to battle a low-grade sinus infection. I felt like butt but not that absolutely awful of a full-on sinus infection-level butt. So I focused on lots of sleep, forcing fluids and not moving too much.

Over the course the week I made it a point to keep eating well and, on Thursday, I commenced with carbo-loading. I chose to use Maurten Drink Mix 160, downing eight packets over the course of the  day. This follows a method a runner I know used for the Chicago Marathon the week prior. Did it work? Well, it certainly didn't hurt.

The race was rough. I will think about the details of the effort later. Bottom line is I hit my goals of 1) completing it 2) running the whole way and 3) sub-four hours. The brutal exhaustion at the end wasn't fun but, at least I know I left everything I had on the course.

Injury update: The right lower hamstring and upper Achilles tendon ached consistently over the course of the race, particularly after the halfway mark. I was really worried they might become something critical by the end but that never materialized. Still, while I ache all over now, they -- and my hips -- are the most sore in the post race.

2018 Hartford Marathon

Distance: 26.2 miles
Chip Time: 3:56:26
Gun Time: 3:57:01
Pace: 9:01 min/mi

Comments: So the day finally arrived. After months of training that required hundreds of miles run, the race was upon me. And I felt completely miserable.

The head cold that had plagued me over the last week had not transformed to a full-on sinus infection but it was not making the start of race day any easier. And the forecast of clear weather that I had been promised at the start of the week transformed to one of constant rain with less than 48 hours to the start.

Still, the cold was "above the neck" which is the runner's threshold for racing sick. And the rain would make it miserable but the temperatures were very cool (mid to upper 40s) and no wind was expected. So I went out and did it.

The first 10K was a delight. I deliberately worked on moderating my pace with cadence and holding back as much as I could. But I still was knocking down crazy fast splits. Nothing was even close to 9:00/mi and a couple came within a breath of sub-8:00. But it was all cooler temperature and using downhills. I was running without looking at the Garmin and keeping breathing relaxed and easy.

At the halfway mark, I could definitely feel that the level of difficulty was about to get serious. This was the flat out-and-back portion of the course so I did start looking at the Garmin just to keep under 9:00/mi pace. As much as I wanted to try to negative split, I was realistic about what was about to happen.

I found myself starting to fade a little as I approached the turnaround at mile 17. The "out" portion turned out to have a long gradual uphill which proved to be a drag on my effort. I tried upping cadence on the return to make up a bit but, at this point, fatigue was really getting warmed up. At the 20-mile mark it settled in for real.

Miles 21 and 22 were a battle to keep my pacing up as much as I could in order to finish the out-and-back portion. It was clear that the fade was making itself comfortable wrecking my hard-earned consistency and eating away at my confidence. The last four miles were simply a matter of survival. I had to battle for every single step over this portion of the course and any incline took a severe toll.

A lot of better conditioned runners took me down through this part of the course which, even though I know better, was disheartening.

Crossing the Founders Bridge was pretty much the nightmare I had expected and I still had the last 3/4 of a mile to go. A real big shout out to the guy who had just finished and was back on the course, still draped in his mylar blanket, shouting "ALL OF YOU ARE SUB-FOUR MARATHONERS!" That encouragement got me through the ridiculously awful last section.

After I crossed the finish line I was completely wiped. I have rarely felt as exhaustively beaten after a race. I clutched the reflective blanket as tight as I could but I was shivering uncontrollably by the time I staggered back to the hotel. And every single step hurt as much as if I was still running the race.

But, I did it. I ran the whole course. And I hit my sub-four goal.

Training Run

Distance: 4.03 miles
Time: 38:41
Pace: 9:36 min/mi

Comments: This is the first of two "regular" runs this week just to keep myself ready. Ate a TON of carbs over the weekend and could really feel the energy payoff today. I spent most of this run tapping the brakes to keep from going over race pace.

The heat is going to stay stupid until I leave for Connecticut. Which, is part of what I planned, I guess. It would be nice to get a chilly morning to prime for raceday but now I'm being nitpicky.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 15

Distance: 16.02 miles
Time: 2:31:27
Pace: 9:27 min/mi

Comments: Taper week. But I still slacked off a bit more than proscribed. Skipped the "long run" because I was feeling blah and the weather/events conspired against me. Still, I don't really think it will have an enormous impact given the quality of miles I have over the last three months.

Now it's race week. I have a couple of runs planned but nothing fast or intense at all. I've got carb loading to do. I've decided at the last minute to do something a little different. Hopefully, it goes as planned.

Mostly this week is a matter of packing and watching the weather forecast with trepidation.

Injury update: Nada

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 38:42
Pace: 9:40 min/mi

Comments: Another day closer to the big day. Another basic run with no frills whatsoever. Out a touch earlier and, subsequently, the heat and humidity was a touch better. But it was still sweltering and uncomfortable.

No goal for this one. Just started as smooth as I could muster and tried to ride it the whole way. Did a little focus on posture and leg placement but, to be honest, I let my mind wander a lot for once.

Tomorrow is the last "long" run before the race. Then it's all about carbs and resting up.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 37:03
Pace: 9:15 min/mi

Comments: Waited until it was a tad on the warm side again. This reverse aclimitization better work, dammit. Still, this run went incredibly well. The additional rest is really making a difference.

The only real goal today was a test run of my raceday outfit and first mile pacing. I wanted to see how comfortable I was ramping up to race pace from a cold start. It wasn't overly taxing or even that difficult. After that I just kind of cruised the rest of the way.

Training Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time:  36:40
Pace: 9:10 min/mi

Comments: Not a bad effort but I'm ready for a day off. The two runs after the intense long run were a bit more of a challenge than I expected. Of course, I also could have run them when it was less hot and without sunlight but I figure the adversity will help on raceday.

Still feel a little stiff, particularly in the right leg but no real aches to speak of. I have been uneven in terms of quality sleep but that, and good diet, are the priority over the next two weeks. I'm also doing some of the raceday homework I have been putting off.

Recovery Run

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 39:01
Pace: 9:45 min/mi

Comments: Out later so had to contend with the heat/humidity. It was uncomfortable but, since this was a very easy effort, I figured it would contribute to the acclimatization strategy. So even though that made things a bit of a slog, I still spent a lot of this run easing up on the pace.

I did the first half a little faster than I was planning but got the effort closer to what I wanted on the second half. I really need to get the 10 min/mi pace dialed in prior to the race. I want to have a solid higher gear I can depend on if need be.

Marathon Training Summary: Week 14

Distance: 30.06
Time: 4:34:22
Pace: 9:08 min/mi

Comments: First week of the taper down. I ended up taking an extra rest day on Saturday because I felt really dragged down. That worked out well, though, with the strong pace effort on the Sunday long run. I've shifted the runs around next week to give another four-day run of workouts before the next off day.

I'm feeling like the strength to complete the race is there and the stamina is in the ballpark of hitting the four-hour goal. The latter is going to be a near thing though. I'll have to be very careful on the first half of the race to make it work. I need to sit down and do a little research to be ready for what the course throws at me.

Injury update: There has been tightness and various muscle aches in my upper right leg for awhile. None of it has blossomed into anything severe, but I don't want any surprises now I am in the home stretch.

Long Run

Distance: 12.03 miles
Time: 1:46:52
Pace: 8:53 min/mi

Comments: Last long run for this marathon preparation. The goal today was to get 10 miles at race pace, allowing two miles at a minute slower for warm up/hills. Needless to say, I didn't need the wiggle room.

I really wasn't mentally into this one getting going. Felt kind of 'blah' and unmotivated. But, after the first half mile or so I started focusing on upping the cadence to handle the early hills and hit a very strong groove. After that, I worked on keeping focused and not dropping off from fatigue.

As promising as this effort is, my heart rate was pushing it for a large portion of this effort. Which makes it really unclear if I can sustain this kind of effort over the full marathon. So I need to do some research and have a gameplan ready come raceday.