March 21 - 4 weeks to Boston!

Last week I seemed to continue a strong march towards Boston. I followed my first 100 mile week with another 100 mile week: 104.74 to be exact. My runs were 21, 10, 24.12, 8, 11, 26.53. And as usual I raced this past weekend. On Saturday I raced an 8k. 31:39,6:17 pace in which I hit the closing mile in 5:47. Felt really good and could have gone faster but that wasn't my plan. On Sunday I ran the shamrock marathon pacing a friend to a new 3 minute PR of 3:35:30! That was so much fun being able to help a fellow runner. I really get the same and if not more satisfaction helping runners reach their goals as I do setting a PR of my own. Running is so more than just a time. This week will see another 100+ mile effort with again another marathon . I will be running the ocean drive marathon in new jersey! I am thinking that I will take the first half easy (1:41-1:43) then see what is left in the tank for the 2nd half. This is all part of my strategy for giving the endurance and strength to let it all out in Boston. Right now I feel that I am in better shape and thT my training is much better than last year for Boston, so that is encouraging. On a side note my one friend and I have decided to take on the challenge of back to back marathons: Richmond on 11/12 and outer banks on 11/13! Very excited to take on this challenge! 4 weeks to go to the holy Grail! Eye of the tiger!

March 13th - 100 mile week/4th marathon in 4 weeks!

This past week turned out to be the best week of training of the year. Seems it's all beginning to pay off. Monday was my usual SRD after Sunday's marathon. Tuesday I turned in a solid 22 miler. Wednesday was 18 miles. The next 3 days is where I really saw the benefits. My friend Zach and I turned in a solid 10 miler, hitting the 1st 5 miles in 40:48. The 2nd 5 we really dropped the pace running it in 34:53 with the last 3 miles in 6:58/6:34/6:11! Friday was suppose to be a recovery day but it turned into another solid 11 miler. Avg'd 7:40 overall with the last 2 miles in 6:57/6:50. Saturday I met my friend bob for an easy 9 miles. Again we cruised at a 7:40 pace overall with last 2 miles under 7:10. Very pleased with the last 3 days training. 70 miles heading into Sunday's lower Potomac marathon! I had decided to run with no garmin or watch. Run by feel. during this whole stretch of 6 marathons in 6 weeks the plan is no taper. I want to run tired giving my body little rest. All in preparation for Boston in 36 days! I hit the first half in 1:42 (there was a clock there) 7:47 pace, felt good and in control. The 2nd half I started to push the pace. Found a good rhythm and just clicked off the miles. Hit the 20 mile mark, begin to feel a little fatigue but stay strong. This is what I want, mentally I focused and pushed the pace. By now I had logged 90 miles with a 10k left in the marathon. All was working as I had planned. At mile 25 I really began to feel the affects of the week but I pressed on. I crossed the line in 3:18. I ran the 2nd half in 1:36! A pace of 7:19! I was tired but very happy, I had accomplished what I wanted to do. Once I got home I ran another 4 miles giving me 100.37 miles for the week. I even placed 2 d in my age group. I have 2 more marathons inthe next 2 weeks and I am Looking forward to putting the finishing touches to my Boston training. For me march is crucial go me for my success in Boston! Hopefully this will payoff. Based on the past 2 weeks I have every reason to believe it will. Now to rest up and gear up for week 3 and the shamrock marathon next Sunday! Eye of the tiger!

March 6th - marathon #25

Baltimore - Annapolis trail marathon was an overall success. This was going to be a good training marathon. There was no taper. Finished the week with 92.22 miles. Right on target. My plan was to hold 7:40-7:45 pace through 20 then push the last 10k. Through 20 I was @7:33 pace. Felt good but then at 21 felt a muscle spasm in left quad. Decided to pull back and not push it. Then at mile 22 had another sharp spasm that threw me off stride. Being a training run I didn't panic and just focused on finishing. At mile 24 I came upon another runner who was also struggling. I decided to slow down and run/walk with him and help him to the finish. The last 2 miles were slow but it was great to help and talk to the guy. Sometimes a time is not as rewarding as aiding another runner in need. In the big picture today was not a failure but a success. It was a good training run. 43 days is the goal. Tomorrow is a SRD and much needed if I might say. Tuesday I will resume getting the miles in. Next week at lower potomac I am thinking about running without the garmin and simply by feel. Again there will be no taper and another long training run. Good times! Looking forward to another solid week of training!

February 28th - redemption!

Marathon #24 turned out to be exacty what I needed in many ways. After a disappointing marathon in Myrtle beach and outside events, my mojo and confidence seemed to be rattled. Hyannis was crucial in turning the ship around. A friend wanted to run a 3:15 so we went out at that pace which felt relaxed. 1st half we were pretty much on pace and I seemed to be in a groove. It was a two loop course so we started out for the second time, this time we were alone for the most part. At 17.5 my friend fell off pace and as agreed prior to race I kept going. I was a little tired but pressed on. Splits for the last 10 miles were: 7:18/7:12/7:14/ 7:06/7:12/7:07/7:09/7:07/7:10/7:15. Overall I finished 27th out of 357 runners with a time of 3:13:35! I am very satisfied with this. The fact that I was able to stick and hit my pre-race time goal was very good. But what I am most thrilled about is I have seemed to find my groove after 2 weeks of trying circumstances. I have been reading the book 'the long run' about NYFD firefighter matt long who was run over a bus and nearly killed. Given a 5% chance to live, he survived and after a grueling 3 years came back and ran the new York city marathon ( he BQ'd 1 month prior to his accident) reading this on the plane put things in perspective: losing a job is serious and stressful but I was not close to death. Matt is living proof of how resilient the human spirit can be! I have nothing to complain about. Yes there is stress about not having a job but I will rebound and I am determined to turn this into a positive! No excuses! It's just an obstacle that I will overcome! Eye of the tiger!

February 25th - marathon #24

So I haven't been to happy with my runs over the past 10 days. There have Been some bright spots a 10 miler last Wednesday and a 15 miler this past Tuesday but the other runs have felt flat and uninspiring. I recovered fairly well from Myrtle beach and feel no residual effects. I am looking forward to Hyannis on Sunday. This time I am pacing a friend who's goal is to run 3:15 or better. Hopefully I can get him to that goal and not feel like I have exhausted my tank. Next week at B&A I have a faster time goal in mind. Also helping a friend to a PR hopefully. All of this is pointed to giving me some good training runs and some hard races to better prepare me for Boston. For some it seems like an awlful lot but this is exactly what makes me tick. It's the challenge and my body responds better with high mileage. That is the beauty of running, no training plan is right for everyone and there are no right or wrong training techniques. My biggest issue over the past 10 days has simply trying to deal with the outside world and not let it affect my training. It has been difficult but I do think slowly it's getting better. Looking forward to getting out on the course Sunday and just finding my stride and rolling! Need to find my mojo. As survivor sings in Rocky 3 - "it's the eye of the tiger"!

February 20th - rough waters

So the last two weeks culminated in a somewhat disappointing marathon in Myrtle beach. What i had hoped to be a run at my current PR turned out to be a slow march to the finish. Things started out good though legs seemed out of sync. Hit 5 miles in 34:29 then hit the next 5 in 34:28. 10 miles @ 68:57. I then found a groove and hit the next 5 in 34:06. Held court over next 3.5 miles then the wheels started to fall off. Mentally couldn't stay focused. Unfortunately the week started off horribly as I was unexpectedly fired from my job that I strongly feel was unwarranted. I have been distracted the whole week. My runs Wednesday thru Friday were lackluster at best. I really pride myself on being very mentally strong and focused yet this has rattled my cages. As for the future I really have no clue nor a plan. I have one week to get out of this because I head to Hyannis to pace a friend to a 3:15. Short term memory as one would say. Running is usually my therapy but even now I feel the stress is to much and seems to burden my runs. Maybe as the days go by it will become easier to cope. Boston is in 57 days!

February 6th! - 13 days till myrtle beach!

this was a good week overall. finished with 80.73 miles for the week. though the runs were up and down. biggest fustration is that all my running routes are ruined due to snow and ice. tuesday run was a solid run up in deleware. 11.02 miles. ran 1st 7 miles at a comfortable pace then for the last 4 miles i kicked the pace up! splits were: 7.34, 7.01, 6.28, 6.37. overall pace was 7.51. wednesday run was a nice recovery 10 miler. thursday i had a nice surprise another kick ass 13.18 mile run at night. took the 1st 6 miles out at 8.21 pace then found a groove and kicked last 7 miles at 7.27 pace. splits: 7.59, 8.00, 7.41, 7.38, 7.28, 7.02, 6.31.  followed that with a good 16 mile recovery run @8.21 pace. saturday was simply fustrating, only managed 4.18 miles due to tired of running in circles in neighborhood. sunday was a whole different story. met up with my friends dave and zach and we tore up loch raven damm for 26.2 mile training run. nice pace 3.49.10 @ 8.44 pace. best part was each 5 mile segment was faster than prior 5. today was an awesome reminder on how great it is to be a runner.
13 days out from MB and i am chomping at the bit to get out there and get a  sense of how my training is progressing. 71 days till boston.starting to think strategy and up my training. my juices are beginning to really flow as i get into the heart of my marathon schedule. stay focused and train smart. no excuses. HTFU! no risk, no reward. my reward will hopefully running down Boylston street headed towards a new marathon PR! this week my goal is to hit around 85 mpw.