The week started in Boston, you can read all about that in a separate post. The rest of the week was pretty much recovery. Boston took it's toll on me. With travel, work and more travel on the agenda, getting good workouts in were tough. I hadn't intended to skip Friday, but I got caught in a fairly severe thunderstorm as I was to begin a 6 miler. This will be week 1 of a 2 week reset before the core Ironman training begins in May. Unfortunately I had to miss a swim technique class. I need all those I can get right now.
A summary of week 20 (April 20, 2008 - April 26, 2008)
Sunday 4/20: Run (5 Miles)
Monday 4/21: Run (26.2 Miles)
Tuesday 4/22: Attempted to run a mile. We won't count that.
Wednesday 4/23: Run (4 Miles)
Thursday 4/24: Run (4 Miles), Swim 3800
Friday 4/25: Run OFF
Saturday 4/26: (4 Miles)
Stats:
Running: 44.5 Miles 5:01:23
Biking: Indoor Trainer: 0
Swimming: 3800 1:30:00
Strength: 0
Total Time: 6:31:23
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Boston Marathon
112th Boston Marathon
Boston, MA
Conditions: Mild (54°F), Light Wind E
A beautiful day for a run. Having experience from the year before was handy, it really makes it much easier to prepare for the start knowing you're going to be sitting around for 2+ hours before the race start. I decided to give it all I had as the clouds cleared and the sun came out. I knew it was going to be perfect weather, cool with a light headwind. I decided sub 2:40 was the goal for the day, my plan to achieve this? Run the first 20 miles in 2 hours and gut out the hills and hope for the best.
Boston starts with a sharp downhill, pretty much for the first 6 miles. I went out quick, but comfortable. I gave Lance Armstong a "Let's go" as I went past him. He was going much slower at the start. 5k came very quickly, then 10k. I didn't know it but Tanya was there cheering. Yay. As I crossed the 10k I realized I was really moving, sub 36. The thought that I may be going too fast crossed my mind but I was with a good pace group trying for 2:30's. I would have slowed down but I felt comfortable. 10 miles came and I was 2 minutes under an hour, a little ahead of my planned pace. At half, as the girls of Wellesley screamed away, I saw my watch tell me I just ran a sub 1:18 half. "holy shit" I said out loud. That was a a new personal best time for a half marathon. Guess I didn't expect that. I'm still feeling great.
I was moving good, slowing down at an even pace until I hit the first monster hill at mile 18, approximately 30k. The downhill of 18 might have been my overall downfall. I didn't recover well from that. 2:02 at mile 20, still on pace for low 2:40's. Heartbreak hill hit at mile 21 and the battle for 2:45 ended. By the end of heartbreak, my legs were very heavy and I had to slow down dramatically so would have legs to finish the race. Disappointing, but I know I'm still close to breaking 2:50. By 40k my legs were ceasing occasionally, and I was worried about a total lockup, so I slowed a bit more. The crowd noise was deafening, and it wasn't them encouraging me to speed up. The man who concurred Alps Duez and the Pyranees was slowly passing me. That's right, Lance and his entourage rolled by me. Thus ending my last overall goal of beating an icon. I rolled onto Boylston Street and made my way across the finish line. 2:52:37, a new personal best and a course improvement of 27 minutes over 2007. I'll take that.
Splits:
Average 6:35
Total 2:52:37 (official)
559th Place
Boston, MA
Conditions: Mild (54°F), Light Wind E
A beautiful day for a run. Having experience from the year before was handy, it really makes it much easier to prepare for the start knowing you're going to be sitting around for 2+ hours before the race start. I decided to give it all I had as the clouds cleared and the sun came out. I knew it was going to be perfect weather, cool with a light headwind. I decided sub 2:40 was the goal for the day, my plan to achieve this? Run the first 20 miles in 2 hours and gut out the hills and hope for the best.
Boston starts with a sharp downhill, pretty much for the first 6 miles. I went out quick, but comfortable. I gave Lance Armstong a "Let's go" as I went past him. He was going much slower at the start. 5k came very quickly, then 10k. I didn't know it but Tanya was there cheering. Yay. As I crossed the 10k I realized I was really moving, sub 36. The thought that I may be going too fast crossed my mind but I was with a good pace group trying for 2:30's. I would have slowed down but I felt comfortable. 10 miles came and I was 2 minutes under an hour, a little ahead of my planned pace. At half, as the girls of Wellesley screamed away, I saw my watch tell me I just ran a sub 1:18 half. "holy shit" I said out loud. That was a a new personal best time for a half marathon. Guess I didn't expect that. I'm still feeling great.
I was moving good, slowing down at an even pace until I hit the first monster hill at mile 18, approximately 30k. The downhill of 18 might have been my overall downfall. I didn't recover well from that. 2:02 at mile 20, still on pace for low 2:40's. Heartbreak hill hit at mile 21 and the battle for 2:45 ended. By the end of heartbreak, my legs were very heavy and I had to slow down dramatically so would have legs to finish the race. Disappointing, but I know I'm still close to breaking 2:50. By 40k my legs were ceasing occasionally, and I was worried about a total lockup, so I slowed a bit more. The crowd noise was deafening, and it wasn't them encouraging me to speed up. The man who concurred Alps Duez and the Pyranees was slowly passing me. That's right, Lance and his entourage rolled by me. Thus ending my last overall goal of beating an icon. I rolled onto Boylston Street and made my way across the finish line. 2:52:37, a new personal best and a course improvement of 27 minutes over 2007. I'll take that.
Splits:
Distance Split Time (mile pace) Overall Time (overall pace)
5k 17:42 (5:42) 17:42 (5:42)
10k 18:05 (5:50) 35:47 (5:45)
15k 18:37 (5:59) 54:24 (5:50)
20k 19:16 (6:12) 1:13:40 (5:55)
Half 1:17:49 (5:56)
25k 19:55 (6:24) 1:33:35 (6:01)
30k 21:19 (6:51) 1:54:54 (6:09)
35k 23:13 (7:28) 2:18:07 (6:21)
40k 23:55 (7:41) 2:42:02 (6:31)
Marathon 2:52:37 (6:35)
Average 6:35
Total 2:52:37 (official)
559th Place
Week 21 (16/36) in Review
Boston is coming. More mileage than the previous week, but an easy week.
A summary of week 21 (April 13, 2008 - April 19, 2008)
Sunday 4/13: Run (10.5 Miles)
Monday 4/14: Run (8 Miles), Strength (45 Min)
Tuesday 4/15: Run (6 Miles), Swimming (3500), Swim Technique
Wednesday 4/16: Run (6 Miles)
Thursday 4/17: Run (8 Miles)
Friday 4/18: Run OFF
Saturday 4/19: (6 Miles)
Stats:
Running: 44.5 Miles 5:18:46
Biking: Indoor Trainer: 0
Swimming: 3500 2:30:00
Strength: 45:00
Total Time: 8:33:46
A summary of week 21 (April 13, 2008 - April 19, 2008)
Sunday 4/13: Run (10.5 Miles)
Monday 4/14: Run (8 Miles), Strength (45 Min)
Tuesday 4/15: Run (6 Miles), Swimming (3500), Swim Technique
Wednesday 4/16: Run (6 Miles)
Thursday 4/17: Run (8 Miles)
Friday 4/18: Run OFF
Saturday 4/19: (6 Miles)
Stats:
Running: 44.5 Miles 5:18:46
Biking: Indoor Trainer: 0
Swimming: 3500 2:30:00
Strength: 45:00
Total Time: 8:33:46
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Week 22 (15/36) in Review
Taper week! Took two days off running, it was needed. I even skipped swimming one day. I was pretty drug down by Thursday, so when I woke up late for swimming I took that as a sign I need to rest a day or two. Conveniently I used the two really crappy, cold, rainy days this week to not do jack. And when I ran Friday, I felt like a million dollars. Boston is a week away. I'm ready to go.
A summary of week 22 (April 6, 2008 - April 12, 2008)
Sunday 4/6: Race (8.5 Miles)
Monday 4/7: Run (8.5 Miles), Strength (45 Min)
Tuesday 4/8: Run (6 Miles), Swimming (3500), Swim Technique
Wednesday 4/9: Run (6 Miles), Strength (45 min), Yoga (90 min)
Thursday 4/10: OFF
Friday 4/11: Run (6 Miles)
Saturday 4/12: OFF
Stats:
Running: 35 Miles 4:10:26
Biking: Indoor Trainer: 0
Swimming: 3500 2:30:00
Strength: 3:00:00
Total Time: 9:40:26
Sunday 4/6: Race (8.5 Miles)
Monday 4/7: Run (8.5 Miles), Strength (45 Min)
Tuesday 4/8: Run (6 Miles), Swimming (3500), Swim Technique
Wednesday 4/9: Run (6 Miles), Strength (45 min), Yoga (90 min)
Thursday 4/10: OFF
Friday 4/11: Run (6 Miles)
Saturday 4/12: OFF
Stats:
Running: 35 Miles 4:10:26
Biking: Indoor Trainer: 0
Swimming: 3500 2:30:00
Strength: 3:00:00
Total Time: 9:40:26
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Week 23 (14/36) in Review
Two weeks from now we're in Boston. I'm ready to go. This week was as hard or harder than any week to date. I finished with a strong 21 mile run. My swimming is improving by leaps and bounds, the Well Fit training classes are making a difference. My diet and training have taken me from the heaviest I've ever been (165 lbs) down to 145 lbs. My blood pressure and resting heart rate are also much lower than when I last checked. Overall, I'm as fit if not more fit than I've ever been. Oh, and warm weather came back, very good for motivation and attitude.
A summary of week 23 (March 30, 2008 - April 5, 2008)
Sunday 3/30: Race (5 Miles)
Monday 3/31: Run (8 Miles), Strength (45 Min)
Tuesday 4/1: Run (7 Miles), Swimming (3000), Strength (1 Hour), Swim Technique
Wednesday 4/2: Run (8 Miles), Strength (45 min)
Thursday 4/3: Run (6 Miles), Swimming (3100)
Friday 4/4: Run (5.5 Miles)
Saturday 4/5: Run (21.15 Miles)
Stats:
Running: 60.61 Miles 7:18:44
Biking: Indoor Trainer: 0
Swimming: 6100 4:00:00
Strength: 2:30:00
Total Time: 13:48:04
A summary of week 23 (March 30, 2008 - April 5, 2008)
Sunday 3/30: Race (5 Miles)
Monday 3/31: Run (8 Miles), Strength (45 Min)
Tuesday 4/1: Run (7 Miles), Swimming (3000), Strength (1 Hour), Swim Technique
Wednesday 4/2: Run (8 Miles), Strength (45 min)
Thursday 4/3: Run (6 Miles), Swimming (3100)
Friday 4/4: Run (5.5 Miles)
Saturday 4/5: Run (21.15 Miles)
Stats:
Running: 60.61 Miles 7:18:44
Biking: Indoor Trainer: 0
Swimming: 6100 4:00:00
Strength: 2:30:00
Total Time: 13:48:04
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