Marathon Training Thread

[bluegoose]

I decided to take a back seat this fall as my wife trains for the Santa Barbara marathon in November. I have mixed feelings about not having a race to train for. One the one hand, my legs don't feel absolutely destroyed all the time this year and my biking fitness is up a little bit. but I also feel like a ship without a rudder. I've got no real fitness goals for the rest of the year, making it that much harder to get my butt out of bed early in the morning.

But either way, I enjoy the updates on the training, fellas. Good luck in the coming weeks and months. I believe runnercoug is doing st george this fall and I'm sure seachicken has something on the calendar.

[OhioBlue]

Almost two months since the last post. Are niku and I the only ones training for a race this fall?

Technically I'm training for four upcoming races right now, but I hesitate to join the conversation because my 'training' and that of the rest of you looks about like what you are left with when pondering the relative football prowess of BYU and Utah State.

I've inconsistently jogged around here and there for the past couple years, but only started really running consistently in the last 3 months or so. I have a 5k (my first official race) coming up in a couple weeks in Provo, then a ward 5K in September, and my wife, kids and I plan to do the BYU homecoming 5K. I will also register for next summer's Hobbler Half as soon as they actually open the stupid registration with active.com.

I am doing pretty well I think, considering. I have lots and lots of morning 3.1 runs under my belt (both treadmill and outside) with fast times of 24:52, 23:45, and 25:02. I'm hoping for this first race to be in the 24s and think it should be doable with adrenaline, but it's also in the canyon, uphill, and into the wind for the first half of the race as well as at 9 in the morning, so I'll take what I can get. I feel a bit silly talking about 5K plans and goals in a marthon training thread, but you asked if anyone was training for 'a race' not necessarily for 'the big race.'

Right now I'm trying to get my legs/joints up to speed and am averaging about 20 miles/wk. I'm really trying to heed the advice of everyone who says don't push it even when your heart and lungs feel like you can. It's hard to keep my competitive side at bay. I've done my long-ish (relatively) runs on Saturdays, usually a 10K distance or 7 miles. I've been feeling mostly fine and, knock on wood, have had no significant, lingering pains.

One fun thing is that with so much time off work right now, I've been able to drive to Provo canyon mid-morning and actually get out on the provo river parkway where my first race will be. It's been good and I hope will help me with my race-day jitters. Also, I've never run with/through more dragonflies in my life.

[Sea Chicken]

I'm training for Top of Utah. I've actually gotten somewhat serious about things this time. I've picked up the pace on my morning runs and have been eating better, trying to drop a few of those extra pounds I've been dragging along. My work travel schedule has been rough this year, but I'm workin' it out by finding time to get my runs in on site. I did my second 20-miler tonight after flying in to NYC this afternoon.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/43896885
My long run in Boston a couple weeks ago was nice too.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/42467530

[Pheidippides]

I'm training for Top of Utah. I've actually gotten somewhat serious about things this time. I've picked up the pace on my morning runs and have been eating better, trying to drop a few of those extra pounds I've been dragging along. My work travel schedule has been rough this year, but I'm workin' it out by finding time to get my runs in on site. I did my second 20-miler tonight after flying in to NYC this afternoon.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/43896885
My long run in Boston a couple weeks ago was nice too.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/42467530

Just wait for me at the finish line.

[Sea Chicken]

Just wait for me at the finish line.

I wouldn't be so sure. My history of tanking it when it comes to race day is well documented.

[cowboy]

I wouldn't be so sure. My history of tanking it when it comes to race day is well documented.

Whatever. With that kind of time on a 20-miler, you'll smoke me. Where did you find the running trail in NYC? That looks like a pretty cool run. Also, what was the temp and humidity? My long runs have been around a minute slower than yours, and they are still a struggle. I've blamed it on the heat, but maybe I'm just old and slow.

[Eddie]

I haven't signed up for any new races. There is a half marathon in St. George in January I'm considering just to get me through the fall. I'll probably look at a spring/summer marathon again - I really liked the Ogden run, well supported etc.

My neice is running the Top of Utah half next month and I ran 11 miles with her on Saturday. Hadn't done that kind of mileage in a little while - my right calf is still a little sore.

Right now, in some ways it feels nice not to have a set race. I'm working on other goals - lifting more consistently once a week, running hills, speed, and distance rather than just for mileage alone, etc. But I'm sure it won't last long (actually - the biggest loser is my goal right now - so I have a reason to get out and work still.)

[Sea Chicken]

Where did you find the running trail in NYC? That looks like a pretty cool run. Also, what was the temp and humidity? My long runs have been around a minute slower than yours, and they are still a struggle. I've blamed it on the heat, but maybe I'm just old and slow.

No trail. Just running on the streets. I had to run around a bit to find the pedestrian access to the Queensboro bridge. It was a hot day, but the humidity wasn't bad and the sun went down near the end. I planned a few escape routes (short-cuts back to the hotel, subway stations) in case I got myself into trouble, but the weather really wasn't a problem.

[ERCougar]

Whatever. With that kind of time on a 20-miler, you'll smoke me. Where did you find the running trail in NYC? That looks like a pretty cool run. Also, what was the temp and humidity? My long runs have been around a minute slower than yours, and they are still a struggle. I've blamed it on the heat, but maybe I'm just old and slow.

I remember last year during the fitness challenge seeing the crazy miles that SeaChicken puts in and thinking, if he ever decides to get fast, he'll smoke people. Looks like he decided to. No pressure SeaChicken, but I'll be surprised if you don't break 3:30 on a course like the Top of Utah.

[Pheidippides]

A dietary update for you all - I mentioned above that I have had a really hard time with my training this summer. I've been blaming it on heat but I think it was more than that. In an effort to do something - anything - to get my running back on track, I switched my diet to the same thing I had last year when I was losing weight (only with more calories): no sweets, whole grains, lean meats, lots of veggies. I also started drinking a gatorade every morning after I took a drug test for my new employer and realized how dehydrated I can be.

The results are nothing short of spectacular. I've gotten my groove back. 8 miles last night at 8:45, and no problem. 5 miles the night before at 8:30 without a problem too. Both of those are fast enough to count as pace runs. If I can hammer out my first of two 20 milers this weekend, I'll be in as good a shape as I can hope for. Assuming Logan is in the 50s when I start (as opposed to 91 with 85% humidity, like my run last night), I think I can have a good race.

[Pheidippides]

For only the second time ever, I had to call my wife to pick me up. Today was supposed to be the first of my two twenty milers. 95 degrees now. 94% humidity when I started running. Insane. I managed to do 16 of the 20 but I'm feeling very woozy and disoriented. It took me forever to do those 16 (averaging about an 11:30 pace because I was scared of heat exhaustion, which I think I have anyway). I have consumed over a gallon of water, half a gallon of Gatorade, two gel packs, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and several bugs, and I still bet I show up at home 6 pounds lighter than when I left.

I am never doing a fall marathon again, at least so ling as I live in Texas.

[OhioBlue]

For only the second time ever, I had to call my wife to pick me up. Today was supposed to be the first of my two twenty milers. 95 degrees now. 94% humidity when I started running. Insane. I managed to do 16 of the 20 but I'm feeling very woozy and disoriented. It took me forever to do those 16 (averaging about an 11:30 pace because I was scared of heat exhaustion, which I think I have anyway). I have consumed over a gallon of water, half a gallon of Gatorade, two gel packs, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and several bugs, and I still bet I show up at home 6 pounds lighter than when I left.

I am never doing a fall marathon again, at least so ling as I live in Texas.

Wow, that sounds insane. When it's that hot and humid just going out to get the mail is a torturous--and very wet--endeavor. I don't know how you run even a mile in it, much less 16 or 20.

[Sea Chicken]

For only the second time ever, I had to call my wife to pick me up. Today was supposed to be the first of my two twenty milers. 95 degrees now. 94% humidity when I started running. Insane. I managed to do 16 of the 20 but I'm feeling very woozy and disoriented. It took me forever to do those 16 (averaging about an 11:30 pace because I was scared of heat exhaustion, which I think I have anyway). I have consumed over a gallon of water, half a gallon of Gatorade, two gel packs, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and several bugs, and I still bet I show up at home 6 pounds lighter than when I left.

I am never doing a fall marathon again, at least so ling as I live in Texas.

Nice bonk! Are you ready to get back at it on Monday?

[Pheidippides]

Nice bonk! Are you ready to get back at it on Monday?

Yeah, I'll be back on the streets. Here's hoping the weather is nicer to me.

[cowboy]

My first 20 today. I ran it slow, with a couple of longer breaks, but I felt pretty good otherwise. It took me a while to get in my groove, and the first couple of miles were rough, but after 6 or so I was feeling pretty good. My pace with breaks was 10:15 and my average HR was 153, which is at the lower end of my target range.