Baystate marathon 2011

Finally got around to writing about this one. Really pleased with the work that I did going into this. No real hiccups. 4x20mile long runs, a 10 mile, 7 mile, 18.5 mile, and 13.1 race leading up to it. So I would say this time around I was plenty prepared. My last two weeks were not the best, I never felt like I was getting stronger during the taper, just holding on. I had some wierd stomach things going on during those two weeks-wierd pains and gas stuff, but nothing too severe, just enough to make me worry. In retrospect I think that the 1/2 Marathon all out two weeks before was too much. I should have geared towards a 10 miler or 10k instead. I was really beat after that race and it topped off about 6 really big weeks of running. Lesson learned there, hard to tell going into it, but I knew by 4 days after the race when I was still sore that it probably wasn't the best idea. But still my marathon result was all within 4 minutes or so of a bunch of predictors (i.e McMillan, Daniels etc). As far as the marathon goes,it was a perfect day dry and mid 50's (probably a bit warm), the Baystate course is plenty flat and I really grooved in a good rhythm. My big fade happened at mile 23 (about the same length time wise as all my long runs, coincidence?) I was 6:57 pace through 10, 6:57 pace through 13.1, 7:02 pace through 20, and the wheels came off the cart at mile 23. Just lead legged for the last 3.2 miles (almost a death march). Felt like I was gonna pass out after finishing and then like I was gonna throw up when I felt the chaffe in my inner legs (third degree burn style). But other wise held it together. Good enough for 70th place overall and a Boston Qualifying time. Given my first 23 miles I definately feel like a sub 3:05 is possble. Splits below:
1-7:14
2-6:54
3-6:47
4-7:01
5-7:12
6-6:47
7-6:48
8-6:53
9-6:49
10-6:55
11-7:00
12-7:01
13-7:01
----1/2 1:31:14/6:57pace
15-7:02
16-7:09
17-7:07
18-?-----------30k-2:11:11/7:02pace
19-?
20-7:17 -----2:20:51/7:02pace
21-7:17
22-7:20
23-7:33
24-7:39
25-7:52
26.2-9:33:08/7:57
Total: 3:08:16/7:12 pace
First Half: 1:31:39/6:57pace
Second Half: 1:36:38/7:22pace
Last 6.2: 47:16/7:37pace

Charlestown Track 3xmile/3x1/4

Did this one last Thursday and never logged it. I wanted to do some more mile repeats but wanted to wake up the legs with some faster running so I settled on this: mile-1/4-mile-1/4-mile-1/4 all at a hard but not full out effort, jogged a lap in between at around 2:15 between each interval
mile: 6:27
1/4: 1:25
mile: 6:31
1/4: 1:27
mile: 6:19
1/4: 1:27

Applefest 1/2 Marathon

Had another good run this weekend-up in Hollis NH. Drove up by myself Saturday morning, conditions were good for the first 9 miles then it began to rain heavy-squishy sneakers by the end. Ran by feel and did not look at my watch at all, my plan was to start easy and race as I felt. Rolling course, felt like the first few miles were downhill, I was real pleased with my ability to pick up runners over the last 3 miles. No one passed my from mile 3 on (except 1 relay runner). I would catch a runner and run in step w/ them for a bit and just hammer on. Worked the water stops and had a gel at mile 10. Really pleased with how I emptied the tank over the last 3 miles.  Good enough for 23rd overall. 


Splits:
1-6:51
2-?
3-?
4-6:37
5-6:49
6-6:38
7-6:40
8-6:44
9-6:32
10-7:09
11-6:46
12-6:37
13.1-7:21
Total: 1:28:17/6:44

Nahant 30k

Went significantly faster than I thought on this one. I hit my watch at each mile but resisted looking at the time. No one passed me at all from 4 miles on, and I did quite a bit of passing. Hard to get a good guage on this result, because I think this course is probably hard due to all the hills and turns-if that is the case I am really pleased w/ my fitness. I had planned on running around 7:15's for most of it and practice hitting all the water stops for gatorade. I did glance at my watch 2 miles in and saw 14 flat, but I was feeling good and a few people were walking away from me so I just figured I was in the process of settling, plus the first 3 miles is flat along the beach. Ran by feel for the entirety and finished strong (although after reviewing my splits miles 15-17 were a typical plod fest/basically holding on until the finish was in sight) I drank quite a bit of gatorade throughout.  Beat my previous time on this course in 2009 by 9 minutes, more than likely beat my 1/2 marathon PR (I've only run 1). My family was at 8 miles/13 miles and the finish-all around an awesome morning. Good enough for 14th place.  Splits:
1-?
2-?/14:00
3-6:54/20:54
4-7:01/27:56
5-6:48/34:45
6-7:04/41:49
7-7:04/48:54
8-6:32/55:26
9-6:39/1:02:06
10-6:53/1:09:00
11-6:51/1:15:10
12-6:41/1:22:32
13-6:57/1:29:30
14-6:34/1:36:04
15-7:39/1:43:44
16-7:06/1:50:50
17-7:17/1:58:08
18-6:37/2:04:45
Finish: 2:08:57/6:56

Return to Charlestown Track (3 x Mile)

I was short on time and had wanted to get some quality distance so I changed it up and just went for quality up tempo running. I have been reluctant to go near the track because I haven't been near it since before I got sick and quite frankly I am superstitious. The last time I ran on the track I did short 200's pulled a hamstring and two months later got sick and hadn't been even tempted to go near it in over a year and 4 months. Well I decided to pop the cherry today. I was basically jogging by it kind of pissed that due to obligations I only had about 40 minutes to spare and was trying to figure my route and basically figured I wouldn't  get much more than about 4 miles of easy jogging. So I took a hard left jogged onto the track and banged out 3xmile with 1/4 mile jog in between. I had no particular goal other than I figured I would shoot for 10k pace on the first one and see how I felt. I ended up starting about there and picking it up a bit for the last two. Felt good to do some hard running, plus the track is rubber so it feels forgiving underneath. Oh yeah, I finally took the time to figure out where the actual mile start and finish is.  Splits:
1-6:32
2-6:26
3-6:23

Gloucester 7 miler

Good run through the streets of Gloucester, not a really fast field so it was good enough for 29th place.  Splits:
1. 6:33
2. 6:27
3. 6:57
4. 6:35
5. 6:31
6. 6:40
7. 6:39
Total: 46:22/6:38 pace

Laser Show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great day in Newburyport, MA for me. Ripped a 1:07:21 at the Yankee Homecoming 10 Miler for a 6:45/mile pace (broke into the top 100!!). Finally feeling like I am getting back in the saddle. Forgot to start my watch at the start and from then on kept forgetting to hit the spit at each mile. There were people calling off splits at each mile so I had a good idea of my ballpark pace, but wasn't so focused on my watch that I blew up at any point-I think that helped. Started to empty the tank a little too early at the end and got passed by a guy in the last 1/4 mile that I passed at 9.5. Felt in control throughout and strong at the finish. Great weather and my family was there to watch the Laser show. Just about a perfect day.