A Passion for Running

A recent post on Richard’s blog got me looking again at the McMillan Calculator which says based on two recent races (a 5.4 mile race and a 1/2 marathon) I’m capable of running a 3:33 marathon. The prediction makes my head swirl.

The goal I’ve set is to run a 3:36 but there is a lot of doubt in my mind about even achieving that goal. In fact, I set the goal purposefully high so I wouldn’t underachieve. I based this bit of goal setting on Richard’s very poignant remark, “You may not be able to live up to your expectations, but you will almost always live down to them.”.

On the other hand, I had doubts about running a 1:40:59 half-marathon which I did very strongly just last week.

Am I getting faster? Race results seem to be saying I am but for some reason there is this nagging doubt that although I am faster up to the half marathon distance, the speed improvement may not translate to being a faster marathon runner? After completing five marathons, I know there is a huge difference between running a 1/2 versus a full marathon.

Is my mind imagining limitations that are not there? This, I think, is the biggest question for me. Chris has suggested some reading in this area and Richard is definitely great at thinking positively in terms of one’s potential.

Aaron recently asked me some questions about my race plan for Victoria. Frankly, I’m struggling. Should I go out with a 3:33 pace or my goal pace of 3:36? I could try to answer the question by first answering another question: What’s the slowest time I’d be happy with? My answer is that I’d settle for a 3:39 and would be unhappy finishing slower than my last marathon (3:42). After all, we all want to improve right?

So, it looks like I’m left with one final question: Will running at a 3:33 pace burn me out and prevent me from getting a 3:36 or even a 3:39?

I’m beginning to think it comes down to deciding whether I’m going to “go for it” and risk failure, or play it safer in order to “guarantee” a slower PR. Saying what I just said reminds me of another fact: There are no guarantees when you run 26.2 miles!

One last piece of information: The difference between attempting a 3:33 and a 3:36 is 5 seconds per kilometer. Is that a big deal? It might not seem to be but stretch it out over 26.2 miles and I think it might be!

Decisions, decisions…

Advice? Do I just get some balls and run the pace McMillan says I can run?

I realize I’ve now entered a very “special” point in my training. I’ve entered the marathon training paranoia zone…do de do do, do de do do (my attempt at typing The Twilight Zone theme).

Not familiar? Not sure what I’m talking about? Please allow me to fill you in…

It’s the part of the training where every minor ache and pain is, in your mind, a torn muscle or…worse.

It’s the part of the training where you start thinking everyone around you has germs and will give you a terrible cold/flu which will destroy your training and marathon goal.

It’s the part of the training where you trip over a pebble on the sidewalk while walking to work and think, “whew – I almost fell there. I coulda sprained something and screwed up all these weeks/months of training”.

It’s the part of the training where you wake up with a kink in your neck because you slept funny and think, “oh crap – it’s over”.

It’s the part of the training where your kid jumps on your leg and you start yelling uncontrollably “don’t you have ANY bloody idea what the heck you coulda done to daddy?!?!?! Daddy’s in TRAINING!!!!!!!!” (note: I didn’t actually do that one but it really adds to the drama of this post huh?)

It’s the part of the training where you wait until everyone else digests the food you are about to eat just to make sure it doesn’t have salmonella and ruins all your running plans (who cares about your general health – it’s the running that is important right?)

Get my point? The MTP Zone is where you’ve put in a ton of work, have a goal and nothing by God, NOTHING better screw it up but EVERYTHING happening to or around you seems to hold a threat for doing so.

It might be your first marathon or your tenth but I guarantee that at some point before your big race you WILL enter the marathon training paranoia zone and that as your marathon gets closer and closer, the paranoia will worsen and worsen…

…do de do do, do de do do.

P.S. If you’ve never had a paranoid thought before a marathon please ignore/forget what you just read and carry on…

HA! Gooood Luck!!

First of all, to all you billions of runners who are faster than me, the title of today’s post is relative to ME only! In other words, the following “speed” workout is speedy for ME! OK? OK. Onward then…

I had a pretty good workout on the “peace mile” at lunch today. I warmed up for about ten minutes?and then knocked off three one mile intervals?with 5.5 minutes of light jogging after each. The intervals paced as follows:

Mile One – 6:45
Mile Two – 6:40
Mile Three – 6:55

Miles one and three had a gradual uphill climb?so I’m pretty happy with the times. For the last mile, I concentrated on quick feet and a short stride. I expected I’d finish that mile much slower because the altered stride made it seem MUCH easier. Losing only 10 seconds, especially with it being the last (uphill) interval, made me happy with how it turned out.

It would have been tough to do a fourth interval today (that’s for next week). I didn’t have?very?much in the tank and am still feeling a bit dehydrated from the weekend.?Even so, I think today was a?decent start back to?training. Now I just gotta build some momentum and not get injured for the next seven weeks. That sound you just heard was me knockin’ on my wooden head!

On another subject, I found out some good news about the marathon. First, they are going to have staggered starts for the 8km race, 1/2 marathon and full-marathon. They start 30 minutes apart with the marathoners heading out last. Second,?the marathon starts at 9:00 so my “I don’t like running in the morning” body will have extra time to wake up on race day.

YAHOO!

My little family joined Lori’s parents, brother’s and significant others on a camping trip this weekend. Two days of campfires, GREAT campfire food, sleeping in a tent and fun with family. Very nice.

I managed a one hour run around the lake on Saturday afternoon. It was very tough going. The reason it was tough was the only liquids I drank for the 24 hours prior to running were beer and coffee…and some Gibsons Whiskey in my coffee. Definitely not an advisable hydration strategy! The run was also tough cuz I’ve been fighting a cold since Thursday and it was at it’s worst Saturday. The cold is getting better now.

It was a great way to end a rest week that followed last Sunday’s 1/2 marathon. But the rest is over and tomorrow it’s back to serious training. Why? See the post previous to this one for the answer.

Only bad part about being away is I missed the men’s Olympic marathon and an Italian won it!

I’m registered in the 2004 Royal Victoria Marathon!

Like some marathons, Royal Victoria asks you to tell them your goal time (3:35:59) and personal record (3:42:52). I always find typing those numbers into the registration form to be a very sobering and exciting moment.

Here we go!!

Is there anything about your training that feels instinctual? Meaning, it just feels like it is the right thing to do for developing yourself as a runner?

For some reason I seem to be instinctually drawn to doing drills right now. There seems to be something inside that says, “Mark, this is what you need to do” and is telling me that speed/leg-turnover drills have great potential for helping me become a better runner.

Maybe strange because no one around me ever talks much about doing drills like “mule kicks” and “bounding”. Maybe not so strange since I think I don’t have very quick feet and I’ve read these drills will help.

At any rate, I can honestly say I’ve never had such a feeling so I’m going with it. I’ve decided I will do at least a few sets of drills in every run other than interval training and my Saturday LSD runs.

How about you? Do you have an inner voice telling you something?

My first run since the 1/2 marathon on Sunday and MAN was it ever sweet!

59F/16C, sunny and perfect for running!

We’re nearing the end of summer and my favorite running season is approaching. I could see a few leaves on the ground today. Something that makes me smile ear to ear. I know some people view the end of summer as a tragedy because winter is near but I love the fall. For me, running in the fall is like eating chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I ran 40 minutes at a snail’s pace and threw in several sets of leg drills wherever it felt right.

The run got me thinking about when I started training with Mother Goose and I used to sing this song during our long runs!

After hearing some of the answers to my question yesterday I decided to share something completely non-running related I found out just yesterday. Lucky you! You get/have to learn something about me that you might not have guessed or expected.

Today’s personal tidbit is dedicated to someone who is a big part of why I absolutely love movie score music. I’m talking about the symphonic and jazz scores typically composed for today’s better quality films. Some of my favorite composer’s are James Horner (he did Braveheart & Titanic), Danny Elfman (does a lot of Tim Burton movies e.g. Batman), John Williams (most famous for Star Wars), Bernard Hermann (the original Psycho), Alan Silvestri (Forest Gump) and…

Jerry Goldsmith 1929 – 2004

Jerry Goldsmith was an amazing amazing composer. When you check out his website, take a look at the very long list of movies he scored. It is truly astounding.

I will miss looking forward to, and discovering his creations but I guess what is special about his art is that the wonderful stuff he composed will endure long after his passing.

For various reasons I try to limit most of my blogging to the topic of running. Having said that, I like to say the odd thing about my family, friends and even work (although the latter subject area is something I really try and avoid). I figure it shows people I have a personality (whacked out as it may be) and life outside running. I know I like to hear about other people’s lives too so I figure some of you may desire to know similar stuff about me.

The bottom line for me is I talk about the rest of my life here only when it connects to my passion for running and doesn’t compromise the safety and security of my family.

Where do you draw the line? How do you decide what to share with the blogosphere?

Yup. I left it all out there on Sunday. My quads, calves and butt are still killing me. That’s a good kinda pain!