Sunday, March 31, 2013

5 Weeks to Tacoma


California poppies are out!

Countdown links
week 6
week 7
week 8 
week 9
week 10
week 11
week 12
week 13
week 14
week 15
week 16
week 17


Week 6 Summary

Date Miles   Pace   BPM WHR%   Cad Elev+ Elev-   YPB
2013-03-26 Tue 5.3 9:31 122.3 62.6 86.3 37.9 39.6 1.528
2013-03-27 Wed 11.5 9:01 128.0 67.2 87.3 33.3 31.7 1.561
2013-03-28 Thu 4.8 10:01 115.0 56.6 85.4 37.9 39.1 1.532
2013-03-30 Sat 10.0 8:48 128.1 67.3 87.9 67.5 74.1 1.565
2013-03-31 Sun 20.0 9:41 123.0 63.1 85.7 93.8 93.1 1.486
Summary 51.6 9:22 124.1 64.1 86.5 270.3 277.8 1.527











A 50+ mile week! This is only the fourth time in my life I've hit 50+..all the previous times were back in 2009 and were slower: 9:36, 9:47, 10:07 average paces for the week.

This time we had a set of Yassos: 10x800 @ 7:30 m/m. 
The weekend had a huge 'sandwich' of 10@MP and 20 @ 9:41. How was it to run 30 miles in 2 days? Read on!

Cumulative BPM and Pace comparisons with CIM and Eugene 

First CIM vs Tac. Note that we have about 170 miles of running left before TAC! So we will be way ahead of CIM mileages. We have yet to do our 13.1 time trial also. So I think the pace bars will all be strong vs CIM

 Eugene was a short buildup (recovery from post CIM terrible AT and holidays shorted the time available). I've already run as many miles as Eugene with 5 weeks to go!

I think by the end of this cycle we should be well positioned. The trick is to not over-train! This coming week will be a step back with prep for the Santa Cruz half.

Week 6 Details

Tuesday I was still a bit tired from the weekend and so did 5-ish miles at slow base.

2013-03-26 Tue
SplitMiles  Pace     HR% WHR  CadElev+Elev-   YPB
11.009:56122.362.686.04.22.31.449
21.009:37122.062.387.011.89.61.504
31.009:25124.063.987.07.710.71.508
41.009:33123.063.186.013.03.21.508
51.009:08121.061.586.00.011.61.586
60.329:27120.060.785.01.12.31.550
Sum5.39:31122.362.686.337.939.61.528












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Wednesday I was recovered and ready to do some speedwork. I jogged 2 miles to Paly and did a full set of "Yassos" : 10 x 800m @ 3:45 (7:30 m/m) with 400m recovery.

I punched the watch for the splits based on laps. I haven't printed the times but I was shooting for 3:45 = 225 seconds per 800 and that's what I hit. This is a 7:30 pace but the GPS credits me for a bit faster.

I did this without too much trouble...see that the cadences stayed at 91/92 for all of them.  It did take a while. During the early laps of the run some high school kids came out to do some kind of stretching and an anemic lap or two of running ;).. I tried to stay out of their way. 

I ran this in my Kinvara 3s...it's going well breaking my legs into to running in them. I'm convinced they are worth a couple of minutes at least in a marathon. 


2013-03-27 Wed
SplitMiles  Pace     HR% WHR  CadElev+Elev-   YPB
11.0010:13128.067.286.05.62.21.349
21.009:46118.059.086.022.00.01.546
30.537:24138.075.491.00.00.01.723
40.309:28124.063.985.00.00.01.499
50.507:50138.075.491.00.00.01.627
60.2610:20122.062.384.00.01.01.393
70.527:32137.074.691.00.00.01.704
80.2610:26120.060.784.00.00.01.405
90.497:40138.075.491.00.00.01.660
100.2510:38124.063.983.00.00.01.333
110.517:20140.077.091.00.00.01.712
120.2610:40123.063.183.00.00.01.340
130.527:15140.077.091.00.00.01.733
140.2511:09122.062.382.00.00.01.293
150.527:16139.076.292.00.00.01.742
160.2611:08119.059.882.00.00.01.327
170.517:16140.077.091.00.00.01.726
180.2610:39123.063.183.00.00.01.342
190.527:03143.079.592.00.00.01.743
200.2610:17129.068.083.00.00.01.326
210.526:54147.082.892.00.00.01.735
220.2311:23129.068.078.01.02.21.198
231.0010:36116.057.483.02.422.01.422
240.7610:25115.056.684.02.24.31.467
Sum11.59:01128.067.287.333.331.71.561


































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Thu I was pretty tired from the Yassos, and also wanting to be strong for the weekends back to back 10 + 20, so I took a recovery run:


2013-03-28 Thu
SplitMiles  Pace      HR% WHR CadElev+Elev-  YPB
11.0010:00115.657.086.04.33.11.525
21.0010:14117.058.286.016.711.31.479
31.0010:03114.055.785.09.63.51.541
41.009:55112.054.185.00.019.01.572
50.769:49117.058.285.07.42.21.538
Sum4.810:01115.056.685.437.939.11.532











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Saturday a cloudy sky with a threat of showers...but hey, Tacoma has a good chance of rain on race day so who cares? 8)  The plan was to run 10 miles at MP and this is what I did. I felt very relaxed and easy the whole time, doing my 2:4 breathing the whole time. (in for 2 steps, out on 4 steps).


2013-03-30 Sat
SplitMiles  Pace     HR% WHR  CadElev+Elev-   YPB
11.008:53128.367.489.010.28.41.548
21.008:44132.070.589.015.00.01.539
31.008:40130.068.989.013.53.11.571
41.008:50131.069.788.014.43.41.533
51.009:08128.067.287.06.618.31.499
61.008:38127.066.488.01.515.11.598
71.008:42125.064.887.00.00.01.618
81.008:46124.063.987.00.00.01.617
91.008:56127.066.487.03.017.71.544
101.008:41129.068.088.03.28.11.567
110.017:40127.066.487.00.00.01.806
Sum10.08:48128.167.387.967.574.11.565




















This run ended being my 3rd most efficient 10 miler ever. 8:48 pace at 128 bpm is really really good for me.  The other two uber efficient 10 milers also happened in 2009. No cardiac drift at all during this run.

Tomorrow is a big day: my first of two 20 milers. There is nothing like a good long run to boost your confidence (or a bad one to demolish you 8/ ). These back-to-back MP and then long runs are part of Hal Higdon's training philosophy, and I think if you can work up to  10 @ MP followed by 20 @ MP +30s to 45s that is really good for race day.

The weather looks even more like rain: 70% chance. But I will be out there rain or shine.

Later in the day I went out with friends and ended up playing Bocce and then Frisbee for a couple of hours. Hmmm. Maybe not such a hot idea before a 20? Is it keeping my legs loosened up or wearing me out for tomorrow or both?  I will find out...

-------

The forecast of rain was a bust: it was sunny and 55F in the morning, with a 5-10mph breeze.....I decided on a 9:30 pace and if I was lucky enough to get to mile 15 feeling strong I could try a fast finish.



2013-03-31 Sun
SplitMilesPaceHR% WHRCadElev+Elev-YPB
11.009:49123.063.187.01.14.71.454
21.009:19118.059.088.06.40.01.606
31.009:25120.060.787.014.80.01.571
41.009:24126.065.687.023.50.01.506
51.009:12129.068.086.00.035.91.464
61.009:13120.060.787.00.020.81.578
71.009:38131.069.785.00.06.41.391
81.009:34146.082.085.04.32.21.262
91.009:26130.068.985.03.32.21.436
101.009:36129.068.085.02.20.01.422
111.009:33119.059.885.02.11.21.550
121.009:21121.061.584.02.13.31.555
131.009:36119.059.885.03.54.41.540
141.009:55123.063.185.04.11.01.445
151.009:46117.058.286.00.00.01.538
161.009:53125.064.886.00.00.01.423
171.009:51120.060.786.02.02.21.489
181.009:59115.056.685.010.70.01.542
191.0010:34116.057.486.09.50.01.444
201.0010:26115.056.685.04.28.81.464
210.0112:27119.059.884.00.00.01.187
Sum20.09:41123.063.185.793.893.11.486
































That did NOT happen. For the first 10 miles I did fine and felt good (HR strap wigged out for a while during laps 7 and 8) but I could tell my legs were tired from yesterday. It felt like  I was already 5+ miles further into the run than I really was.

Of course that is kind of the point of sandwich runs.

At mile 12 I ran into Toni going the other direction on the Baylands trail I knew she'd be on. She ended up doing her 8 miles of fast walking just as planned...no Morton's neuroma problems with the toe-taping still...knock wood! I should have taking a picture but I was already too tired for only mile 12 and was worried about putting in another 8 miles ..OY!

My legs lost more and more of their 'starch' and I gradually slowed down. It's not a fun feeling and requires lots of mental effort to keep going at all. 

I think I've reached the limit of what I can do with this weeks experience. On my next 20 miler I will do only 5 miles of MP the day before...10 was clearly just too much. (The Bocce and Frisbee not a great idea either). 

But I survived it. No injuries or niggles still! (again, knock wood!).

On to week 5! Santa Cruz half marathon next Sunday!

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Take it up a notch!

One thing I haven't been commenting on is my effort to lose weight for Tacoma.

Basically it's been a total FAIL. My weight has been in the 174 -ish range and not budged. For my CIM race it was down near 170..and 4 lbs is worth at least a good 8s per mile.

Well, so I have this ostrich leather belt I wear. Every morning when I tighten it,  I just do it to where it's comfy and don't pay attention. it's always to the belt hole that is the next-to-last one. Only during my very first massive weight loss (see FAQ) did I ever get to the last belt hole.

For the last week though, I've noticed that I'm going there. My weight is the same but my fat seems down. It's a subtle thing but at least it's in the right direction.

Here's a photo...notice no more belt holes to be had on the right hand side..I'm on the last one!

Did a grow muscle?  If that's the case then that 8s per mile loss is rather some kind of GAIN.

I hope so!

Sunday, March 24, 2013

6 Weeks to Tacoma

Week 7 Summary


Date Miles   Pace    BPM WHR%  Cad E lev+  Elev-   YPB
2013-03-19 Tue 3.2 10:29 109.8 52.3 84.3 25.1 23.5 1.546
2013-03-20 Wed 6.7 10:05 120.6 61.2 85.9 250.0 249.6 1.474
2013-03-21 Thu 9.4 8:26 137.3 74.8 89.8 24.2 23.6 1.543
2013-03-23 Sat 7.0 9:39 120.7 61.2 0.0 187.7 195.1 1.525
2013-03-24 Sun 13.0 8:50 131.4 70.0 87.3 64.1 62.7 1.523
Summary 39.3 9:14 126.7 66.1 87.4 551.1 554.4 1.522








Another great week! So far things are just going better than I could have imagined. I continue to be amazed at how much fast running I can do and not break. 


Week 7 comparison with CIM week 7:

This was a higher mileage week for CIM but 3 miles of it was a walk that I took with Toni on the garmin. That brings down the average pace for CIM quite a bit so ignore that.

And here are the paces. I did 160 minutes of running at HMP and MP (8 to 9 m/m buckets):
 Ok, now compare with Eugene week 7. A few less miles for Eugene (some AT issues I think ). This week was mostly slower than 9m/m for Eugene..... as always now I'm more efficient too:
I feel pretty darn good now. The key is going to be to not peak too early and not break anything. I still have my two 20+ miler runs coming up and need to make sure I don't do them too fast.

Week 7 Details

Monday I noticed I had a pretty big trigger point on my lelf calf , but on the inside top..a new place. I hadn't really noticed it during my 18 mile run but it was pretty big. I worked on it with the jackknobber a bit during the day and took a walk to loosen it up.
---------

Tuesday I was tired, probably combo of not great sleep and the effects of the 18 miler and hard week previous so I decided to bag my plan of some hill sprints and just do a short recovery jog. The calf felt pretty loosened up...did not notice the trigger point during the run. But I was dragging even for 3-ish miles at a 10:30 pace!
-----------

Wednesday I felt a bit recovered but not 100%. I went to the big hill 2 mile from my house and did one lousy 800m up the hill ..ugh...I practically just gave up and dropped to a jog a couple of times.

When I saw the 8:30 pace, it seemed way slow and said to myself "see, you are too tired and need to take it easy again today". So I jogged on straight ahead and figured I do another easy run.

After about a minute, I realized that I felt much better and that maybe I was just needing to warm up as per usual so turned around. I did 3 more intervals that were pretty strong but TOUGH to do and then called it a day.  But Mr "I.V." was foiled again!


2013-03-20 Wed
SplitMiles  Pace     HR% WHR  CadElev+Elev-   YPB
11.009:56121.061.587.08.14.81.468
21.0010:24128.067.287.018.63.21.335
30.2610:14114.055.786.013.20.01.556
40.248:32141.077.990.053.80.01.663
50.4110:29114.055.784.013.956.21.431
60.237:45140.077.092.044.12.01.806
70.2411:12122.062.382.01.343.21.212
80.237:47140.077.092.043.41.71.798
90.2512:10122.062.376.02.245.71.116
100.247:40141.077.992.043.40.01.812
110.3011:50117.058.279.02.559.21.190
121.0010:14111.053.386.01.017.51.539
131.0010:10113.054.985.04.513.01.528
140.2710:32120.060.783.00.03.11.387
Sum6.710:05120.661.285.9250.0249.61.474
























Later,  I went back and looked at the 4 sprints I did on Week 14 (late January).  They were at 8:45 pace, rather than today's 7:45 pace. No wonder these felt hard! I felt a lot better about the workout after that ;)

-------

Thursday I set out to do some HM pace running. I was wearing a new pair of Kinvara 3's...man they are light, and being new the cushioning is decent.  


2013-03-21 Thu
SplitMiles  Pace      HR% WHR  CadElev+Elev-   YPB
11.009:25137.374.889.01.08.41.357
21.008:14134.072.192.00.07.51.588
31.008:00139.076.292.02.30.01.585
41.008:13138.075.490.00.02.21.550
51.008:15137.074.690.00.00.01.556
61.008:17137.074.690.02.30.01.550
71.008:14137.074.689.06.63.31.565
81.008:14140.077.089.03.31.11.527
91.008:15142.078.789.08.70.01.509
100.4110:25126.065.685.00.01.11.338
Sum9.48:26137.374.889.824.223.61.543


















8 miles at 8:12 average...faster than the 8:20 I have been imagining as my HM pace.

 I felt great on this run and felt like I could have finished a full 13.1 miles..it would not have been easy, but I think I could have done it.  This looks good for the Santa Cruz half in 2.5 weeks. I was imagining the final push to the finish at Tacoma ..such visualization techniques really help me later in the real race.

Again the fast running is good efficiency compared all my previous  PR marathon buildup runs at week 7. They tended to be around 1.48 or so and now I'm doing 1.54-ish. That is a big improvement at this stage of the buildup.

My 2009 PR half marathon Santa Cruz  run at 8:30 pace was run at an average HR of 146. Here you see I'm running 8:15s at 137 -140 bpm... Granted it was warmer in 2009 as I recall but still....I think I'm fitter now.

-----

Friday was a rest day. Legs felt amazingly well considering Thursday's run. Walking up stairs they were not at 100% but I was not dragging and felt strong. Went for a half mile walk mid-day to loosen up.

------

Saturday the plan was slow base with some small hills:


2013-03-23 Sat
SplitMilesPace     HR% WHR  CadElev+  Elev-   YPB
11.009:49121.161.50.016.316.21.486
21.009:44122.062.30.023.50.01.504
31.009:47127.066.40.088.86.61.490
41.009:33122.062.30.035.98.51.539
51.009:08121.061.50.018.4125.71.541
61.0010:00114.055.70.00.024.81.531
70.969:36118.059.00.04.813.31.549
Sum7.09:39120.761.20.0187.7195.11.525
















I was not sore from Thursdays run but I could tell I was not fully recharged yet. 

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Sunday I felt really refreshed and ready to go. The plan was 13 miles in my Kinvaras again, at MP, with two hard miles at the the end. And thats what I did...notice that I have snuck my MP up to 8:45..dare I do this on race day? I was going out on a limb (I thought) targeting 8:50..but now...I'm not so sure.



2013-03-24 Sun
SplitMiles  Pace      HR% WHR  CadElev+Elev-   YPB
11.009:07131.369.988.04.12.41.473
21.008:52128.067.289.06.513.21.548
31.008:49131.069.788.00.09.71.516
41.008:43130.068.988.00.00.01.553
51.008:45129.068.087.02.14.21.559
61.008:46127.066.487.02.31.01.581
71.008:42131.069.787.04.15.41.543
81.008:40131.069.786.03.13.11.551
91.008:56129.068.086.01.00.01.526
101.008:48135.073.087.012.20.01.490
111.008:15140.077.089.023.20.01.544
121.008:17141.077.988.01.113.11.500
131.0010:05127.066.485.04.410.51.372
140.0210:46120.060.783.00.00.01.360
Sum13.08:50131.470.087.364.162.71.523






















The Kinvaras once again felt awesomely light. For the whole run I felt fast and light... in the zone! It helped that it was cool-ish and beautiful sunshine. (Alas, in another couple of weeks the mustard will be blooming and the baylands will be dicey for me to run in for a while.)

For miles 11-12 I kicked it up and felt strong. A great run. Very little cardiac drift. My LT has been pushed up nicely in the last few weeks with all the 140+ bpm running I'll bet.

2 weeks to Santa Cruz Half! 
6 weeks to Tacoma!