Email to Blog Post

If this works I’ll be joining Andrew with having to surpass the ability to blog via email and mobile. Next up is the Pushup Challenge that Mike took on awhile back. For these six weeks I am thinking of adding the Situps and Squats.

Ran nearly ten miles on trails

Marathon Recap

I've got two real good reads for you.

An elite first time Boston Marathoner tells His story from the front, like way up there. Check out the part of the Kenyans horsing around.

The next is from a fellow blogger that I follow who just broke another marathon PR! Wayne ran the Hamburg Marathon in a time that I hoped to have been running by now.

Its interesting to read and learn from these accounts as there may be something for the rest of us to apply in our own marathoning, consider this as part of your acquired learning experience.

easy 80 minutes yesterday in unusually dry oppressive 95 degree heat out in the Reservation
today a "quick" 5 miles in ~34 minutes on Haynes Loop as cooler temps prevailed

5K Destiny: 16:40 in 2009

An old Sioux Indian proverb says: "If you don't know where you are going, any path will take you there."

The first step down the road to a greater level of running success is selecting a destination.

1. Establish a Definite Chief Aim -Napolean Hill - "in what do you truly believe?"
2. Practice the Law of Increasing Return - spend the time and effort in stretching and strengthening; look for the feedback, one step at a time

"have the vision to see your future . . . and the will to grasp it."

By the gift of the Creator I hereby recognize in my mind a goal above my previous Masters achievement in the 5K (17:00) to 16:40 in the year 2009.

Sound Health - use nutrition tips from Fast Track

Fear and Worry - Open PR well below this mark, feel the confidence
Indecision and Doubt - Age not an obstacle
Peace of Mind - Work strength training and plyometrics to put the mind at ease
Positive Mental Attitude - Always for every second of the 16:40 race

Back to Running

easy, very easy 3-miler yesterday in about 9 min/mile
another run today, this time 5 miles at maybe 8 min/mile pace
leaning toward 5K training in the future
ate pizza tonight, with sausage, feel guilty as it was not a healthy choice

Personal Best - Proper Training Is a Critical Element to Athletic Success - NYTimes.com

Personal Best - Proper Training Is a Critical Element to Athletic Success - NYTimes.com

Fellow BAA runners speak of what it takes to run a fast Boston Marathon.

2009 Boston Marathon Photos

To follow up on my First Corral post bib number 1549 runs a 2:47! Bill Rodgers a 4:06, BR lined up in the second wave.

1. Photography by George Ross
2. Jim Rhoades
3. WBZ-TV
4. Associated Press on Yahoo!
5. KansasCity.com
6. Erik Gallant
7. LetsRun.com
8. Universal Sports Video
9. Scott Mason

training: light stretching yesterday, leg muscles feel tight but not painful

Keep Your Focus

Running with a concerted consistent mindset and physical effort the 113th Boston Marathon proved to be once again a tough challenge. This being my tenth trek of the race the "larger than life" experience has run its course. I've seen and heard many of the stories, know all the course tangents, hills, and how my body responds.

The goal: a 2:48 or at least break my masters PR of 2:49:13 from 2007. 2007 also last my marathon run. A sense of uncertainty loomed. But, not to overrule a hint of confidence, for having run the marathon many times faster it was certainly an achievable goal.

Not so fast, February I failed to run the marathon distance in Hyannis at an 8:00/mile pace, having to walk \run the last 10K. Later in March my half-marathon time was a 1:23:26 predicting the marathon to be 2:55:58, but, not necessarily on the Boston course. It was the beginning of March that Boston Marathon training resumed picking up from the first week of January.

I'll count my blessings as five weeks is not enough preparation for Boston! An extremely supportive family, a God given talent, a strong desire to achieve a goal and mental training are all a tribute to this year's journey.

So, how was the race?

Drive to Boston ($27 parking), take a bus to Hopkinton (couldn't wait to get off that bus), limber up and in the corral for the national anthem and F-15 flyover. Note, several key mental training factors here, one my wife also ran the race so being together right up to the start helped, second is being able to blend "Saving Private Ryan" symbols (national anthem, military flyover) and WWII GI struggles and sacrifices.

1. 6:32 -2:48 not achievable at this pace for a downhill mile, passed by 100s

2. 6:11 -a little too far in the other direction, chill out

3. 6:17 -starting to get to the sweet spot. 5K -19:40 -okay let's go for sub 20:00 minutes every 5K

4. 6:16 -still going downhill

5. 6:34 -first "real" hill

6. 6:23 -runners starting to thin and get their paces. 10K -39:36 on target

7. 6:23 -ugly but loveable section as its flat, tuck in behind to avoid the wind, poor group formation, took gel in prep for hill

8. 6:35 -another hill cruising. 15K -59:41 still under by 19 seconds.

9. noisy Natick

10.

11. maybe a 22:11 as I must've bumped the watch taking off the gloves, sun warming.

12. reset the watch, lost time waddling. 20K -1:19:49 11 seconds under, gloves back on, looked for friends at 4, 9, 10, 12, did the cold\wind\economy keep them away?

13. 6:29 -reset the watch, screaming tunnel a bit much, they are over the top. 1:24:13 Half. Can I negative split? It would be my first but up for the challenge and feeling good.

14. 6:27 -that's the way!

15. 6:38 -reality sets in, this is work. 25K -lost 5 seconds

16. 13:03 -hill climbing over Route 128 takes alot of runners back

17. 6:41 -the "meat and potatoes" you gotta have strength for the Newton Hills. 30K -lost 24 seconds

18. 6:27 -watched teammate pass me and drink Coca-Cola, later catch but unable to hold

19. 6:44 -JK hill its more work

20. 7:00 -Heartbreak, dig deep work hard. 35K -lost 51 seconds, this hurt

21. 6:30 -easy on the hill down BC, glanced at gravestones

22. 6:36 -losing focus, feeling the tiredness. Cleveland Circle the Army troops are line marching with full packs, flashback to young faces sacrificing themselves in honor of our great country in WWII.

23. 6:22 -regained a new breath, focus and relaxation. 40K -lost 11 seconds

24. 6:31 -push it or you won't get there

25. ? one mile to go was 2:42:00? did it really take eight minutes on the last mile?

Finish 2:50:24 at a 6:30/mile average. Second Half 1:58 slower. 2:42:12 Age Graded Time.

Temperature ~45 with 10-20 mph head winds. Post-race massage along with immediate fluid hydration. I recall walking with the volunteer, after catching my breath, asking for water.

As I write this the legs and energy are better than any Boston I have ever ran. In the race its a matter of keep pushing to the redline point, never broaching, push your limit, reserve to the end to endure the course. The downhills were light not heavy and fast. But, this now good feeling leaves me wondering should I have taken a greater risk?

1 -Sudbury Resident

7 -Masters in Massachusetts

19 -BAA Runner
47 -Division
444 -Gender
472 –Overall

6 -BAA Masters Team

Amazingly Kyle posted another marathon PR. Congratulations!

Thanks to all for reading and your well wishes; maybe we'll see you here next year!

Tomorrow: 113th Boston Marathon 2009

The forecasted temperatures look quite ameniable, the headwind on the other hand is a factor to consider as predictions range from 10-20 mph.

A fairly low key marathon weekend since picking up the bib numbers early on Friday; we ran six miles yesterday and a half dozen strides on the soccer field this afternoon.

The pasta dinner at the La Cantina on the marathon route was quite remarkable as we shared bread with these three fellow blog runners. From L to R is Michael, Thomas, Mike and myself.

Best of luck to you fellas in tomorrow's race!

Bib Number 13

This year the B.A.A. issued me bib number 1552. Our four year old adds these up to 13. Last years number 1541 adds up to 11. Easy three miles this morning in 26:52.

easy six miler

An easy six miler with my marathoning bride this morning. Just think come Monday, three days from now, over half my marathon distance will have been covered. Think 1:24 at the Half.

Now, heading into to the Boston Marathon Bib Number Pick-up. Enjoy the day as its supposed to hit 70 degrees. :-)

5000 Meters at Marathon Pace

A 3.5 mile w\u and then my Wife's new 5K course, which I missed a turn, to cap off the Boston Marathon training workouts for 2009. The 5000 meters mile splits were 6:35, 6:21 and 6:21. I had no idea where the mile markers were and relied mostly on the Garmins pace readout.

A good value in this run is to have the mindset of a rehearsal, as in you will be running this pace on marathon day. No exceptions.

The "Saving Private Ryan" mental training continues.

The First Corral

The ATC (2:58 marathoner) for flight 1549 (Potomac River landing) gets in the first corral. Read about it here. Where will you line up? With the first corral or where a typical 2:58 pace would put you (corral 2/3)? Interesting, also, Bill Rogers gets bib number 79, reports he is a middle of the pack runner and will most likely be walking on the course at some point. Where will Billy line up?

Thursday a 2 x 20 minute tempo Tempo Run - total and average 42:46.00 (6:22 pace)

Friday 7.25m at an 8:05 pace

Saturday an excellent Morse Road hill run for six miles in 43 minutes

Sunday a slow and tired 11.25 at a 8:39 pace, it was cold and windy, what gives?

Monday: 7 mi, 50:35 (7:13 / mi), could've really cranked on the trails

Tuesday: 5 x 1000 at 10k pace, I think most of these were at sub-6:00 / mi. not shooting for the moon here.

One more workout left for the week is 5k at marathon pace.

Mental preparation is ongoing, especially given the lack of training as this feels like I am just coming out of the base build phase vice sharpening.

I am thinking Saving Private Ryan may be a good movie to see. Ryan Hall reports watching Passion of the Christ.

If you see me running down Boylston Street like I am trying to run off a soon to be blown up bridge you'll know why.

Boost Your Immune System

Chicken Noodle Soup can be spiced up by adding spinach, tuna, working wonders for one's immunity. I am feeling better after two days of this concoction.

Wednesday was an easy 7 miles in 57 minutes.


Today 2 x 20 minutes at Marathon Pace. 2007 Workout

w\u (1.07m) + Mossman Loop 1 (3.35m) = 29:12 a 6:36\m avg. for 4.42 miles
Rest (jog) = .66m for 5:58
Mossman Loop 2 = 22:17 a 6:39\m avg.
*Mossman loop now has a sidewalk which may make the loop slightly shorter.
c\d = 1.58m for 13:01
Total of 1:10:29 running a 7:02\m avg. for 10 miles.

Feeling a Little Sick

Little one is surrounded by sick children migrating viruses leading to parents susceptibility. Especially those training for the Boston Marathon.

3x 800-600-600 on tap for the day
McMillan puts the pace at 2:50-2:54 and 2:08-2:11
1st
800-2:59
600-2:11
600-2:08
3:02 rest

2nd
800-2:52
600-2:09
600-2:10
2:59 rest

3rd
800-2:52
600-2:08
600-2:07

right on the mark, very sweet considering last week's debacle

The Time of my Life

Garmin 305 on the fritz, noticed water under the faceplate from the last Boston Marathon course run. I'll do a little trouble shooting and then its off to L.L. Bean.

Bonked another w\o on Saturday wanting to walk at 3.5 miles. Saved face the next day knocking out a 14-miler at a 6:28 pace, felt comfortable.

Last week's incomplete workouts:
1M-2M-1M
MLR of 10-13M
Tempo of 8-11M

It seems my body was off by one day from the schedule. Today was on the mark, easy, measly 3.5 miles in 24 minutes.

Pulling on Socks

If I'm in shape, at least now progressing, then standing on one foot to pull on a sock or tie a shoe is no problem. I really did not like not being able to do that.

Medium Long Run scheduled for 10-13 at 30 seconds over marathon pace. Ran it on the treadmill pulling off after nine miles. Realized after wringing out my singlet that the room was too warm. My being out of shape doesn't help matters.

Held 6:58\mile for seven miles then scaled it back.

9m on a woodway in 66:58 average pace of 7:26\mile

Distance Seven

Snap and quickness back in the legs as they easily could've taken me to the Battle Green on the Battle Road trail.
~7 miles in 50:08