Training Log Archive: levitinIn the 7 days ending May 25, 2008:
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Sunday May 25, 2008 #
Event: Vermont City Marathon
Road running race 3:52:00 [4] 26.2 mi (8:51 / mi)
ahr:159 max:174 shoes: BA7
14 minute positive splits: 1:49/2:03. Quite warm temps. Did not manage pace well. Melted after 17M, though I think the numbers will show I managed to keep the last few miles from becoming a total meltdown.
Note
Drove to and from Burlington, VT in the same day. In case anyone out there in Attackpoint land was contemplating adding 2 4-hour driving segments on the same day as a warm marathon, this is NOT advisable.
Note
Race analysis:
1. I went out too fast. I was not lined up properly with people going my speed. Perhaps many runners were not lined up properly, because there was a rather large "Cuisinart Effect" of people weaving around others in the first few miles. Although there was physical space to run without congestion after about 0.25M, there was a lot of passing to do to remain in an open, runnable space-time-slice for more than a few strides. I even passed one runner walking (!) in the first couple of miles.
2. Although I had my HRM set to chime at regular intervals, corresponding to my goal pace, I didn't hear it until about 4 or 5 miles. It was not quite so helpful as I had hoped. Also, setting a goal pace of 8:25 (versus 8:30) made the math quite difficult for the oxygen deprived brain. Thank goodness I wasn't trying to calculate when I should hit 7 miles at 8:23 per mile. Then I really would have suffered a brain cramp.
3. The early downhill section heading out to the Ethan Allen Homestead (approx. miles 4-6) was unfortunate for me, in that I simultenously had wide open space to run in, without frequent, sharp turns; a slight downhill, my natural response to which would have been to descend speedily; and the awareness that I was running too fast. What to do? Push the pace, and dig a deeper problem, pace-wise? or sacrifice an opportune time to go fast. It's hard to plod down a hill.
4. I lost no energy avoiding the relay zones, as I feared I might. It continues to frost me a little bit when people, especially young and chatty runners, breezily run their 5-10K alongside those of us who have already run for 2 hours and have another hour left after they finish their leg. I guess the answer to this is to run faster or avoid races run with relays.
5. I did not find the major hill (the Assault on Battery) at mile 15 to be a killer, although I passed many people on it, some of whom were walking. I pumped my arms http://www.attackpoint.org/discussionthread.jsp/me... and had no difficulties with the hill.
6. I had some discomfort from the feeling of my shoes being too tight. Perhaps this was heat-related, as this was easily the warmest day on which I've raced this year. Later in the race, I was simultaneously too warm (and seeking the ice from the crowd and the spray hoses) but worried about getting chilled from shade/wind/too much water. One ice cube in the hat was just right.
7. 5 Mile splits tell the story. Even splits at goal pace (8:25) would have been 42:05. Instead I logged 40:36 / 42:23 / 42:44 / 44:15 / 52:01. However, I did pull it together toward the end, even when it was falling apart. Although the slowest mile (22) was 11:55, the others were quite a bit faster. I evidently overcame the threat of a hamstring cramp, the disappointment at falling behind the pace, missing my goal time, and missing a PR. The last few mile splits were 11:55 10:40 9:48 9:06 8:19 and a 1:40 for the final 0.2M. If all the miles from 22 to the end had been at the same pace as mile 22, I would have finished over 4:00.
8. My first time requesting *and* receiving beer around mile 25. I failed to get the beer at the Shamrock Marathon, but I got 2 1-oz cups of beer while in one of the walking stretches. Mmm, good.
9. Nutrition: Gu 15 minutes before the start, then at miles 5, 9, and 14. Hmm. maybe the crappy feeling I got around 20-22 was a bit of a bonk? I took 3 Succeed electrolyte capsule + 2 tylenol. In the race, I took water and gatorade, a couple of orange slices, the above-mentioned beer. No GI issues. (Hooray!) The Succeed definitely worked to stave off the muscle cramps on this warm day.
10. Overall, this marathon was my 9th. Sorted, it lies in the middle, with 4 faster and 4 slower. It was 8 minutes slower than the last time I ran the Vermont City Marathon. Sorted by evenness, it also lies in the middle. At 14 minute positive splits, I have 4 marathons with more even splits, and 4 with worse positive splits. (I have yet to run an even- or negative-split marathon.)
I guess this was a good effort on a tough day, and I made the best of my training. Some days you're the fly, some days you're the windshield.
1. I went out too fast. I was not lined up properly with people going my speed. Perhaps many runners were not lined up properly, because there was a rather large "Cuisinart Effect" of people weaving around others in the first few miles. Although there was physical space to run without congestion after about 0.25M, there was a lot of passing to do to remain in an open, runnable space-time-slice for more than a few strides. I even passed one runner walking (!) in the first couple of miles.
2. Although I had my HRM set to chime at regular intervals, corresponding to my goal pace, I didn't hear it until about 4 or 5 miles. It was not quite so helpful as I had hoped. Also, setting a goal pace of 8:25 (versus 8:30) made the math quite difficult for the oxygen deprived brain. Thank goodness I wasn't trying to calculate when I should hit 7 miles at 8:23 per mile. Then I really would have suffered a brain cramp.
3. The early downhill section heading out to the Ethan Allen Homestead (approx. miles 4-6) was unfortunate for me, in that I simultenously had wide open space to run in, without frequent, sharp turns; a slight downhill, my natural response to which would have been to descend speedily; and the awareness that I was running too fast. What to do? Push the pace, and dig a deeper problem, pace-wise? or sacrifice an opportune time to go fast. It's hard to plod down a hill.
4. I lost no energy avoiding the relay zones, as I feared I might. It continues to frost me a little bit when people, especially young and chatty runners, breezily run their 5-10K alongside those of us who have already run for 2 hours and have another hour left after they finish their leg. I guess the answer to this is to run faster or avoid races run with relays.
5. I did not find the major hill (the Assault on Battery) at mile 15 to be a killer, although I passed many people on it, some of whom were walking. I pumped my arms http://www.attackpoint.org/discussionthread.jsp/me... and had no difficulties with the hill.
6. I had some discomfort from the feeling of my shoes being too tight. Perhaps this was heat-related, as this was easily the warmest day on which I've raced this year. Later in the race, I was simultaneously too warm (and seeking the ice from the crowd and the spray hoses) but worried about getting chilled from shade/wind/too much water. One ice cube in the hat was just right.
7. 5 Mile splits tell the story. Even splits at goal pace (8:25) would have been 42:05. Instead I logged 40:36 / 42:23 / 42:44 / 44:15 / 52:01. However, I did pull it together toward the end, even when it was falling apart. Although the slowest mile (22) was 11:55, the others were quite a bit faster. I evidently overcame the threat of a hamstring cramp, the disappointment at falling behind the pace, missing my goal time, and missing a PR. The last few mile splits were 11:55 10:40 9:48 9:06 8:19 and a 1:40 for the final 0.2M. If all the miles from 22 to the end had been at the same pace as mile 22, I would have finished over 4:00.
8. My first time requesting *and* receiving beer around mile 25. I failed to get the beer at the Shamrock Marathon, but I got 2 1-oz cups of beer while in one of the walking stretches. Mmm, good.
9. Nutrition: Gu 15 minutes before the start, then at miles 5, 9, and 14. Hmm. maybe the crappy feeling I got around 20-22 was a bit of a bonk? I took 3 Succeed electrolyte capsule + 2 tylenol. In the race, I took water and gatorade, a couple of orange slices, the above-mentioned beer. No GI issues. (Hooray!) The Succeed definitely worked to stave off the muscle cramps on this warm day.
10. Overall, this marathon was my 9th. Sorted, it lies in the middle, with 4 faster and 4 slower. It was 8 minutes slower than the last time I ran the Vermont City Marathon. Sorted by evenness, it also lies in the middle. At 14 minute positive splits, I have 4 marathons with more even splits, and 4 with worse positive splits. (I have yet to run an even- or negative-split marathon.)
I guess this was a good effort on a tough day, and I made the best of my training. Some days you're the fly, some days you're the windshield.
Thursday May 22, 2008 #
Cycling 15:00 [1] 2.25 mi (6:40 / mi)
Home to the auto glass place. Underdressed (temps near 50 =:-O ), and I didn't take the time to fill the front tire with air. After sitting on the trainer for months, the front wheel was an afterthought.
Wednesday May 21, 2008 #
Road running 18:40 [2] 2.25 mi (8:18 / mi)
shoes: BA6
From the auto glass place home. Trying (unsuccessfully) to imprint the feeling of 8:2x pace. I'm not overflowing with optimism about this weekend's marathon.