Let's See If We Can Try This Again...
It has been said the most important workout in marathon training is the weekly 'long' run. This is a good thing as it's the only run I seem to be doing. I can't even credit myself with running this all important workout for reasons related to training - I run it for the joy of running with the group. All is not that bad however. It was a mere let-up, dry-spell, hiatus, holiday, low motivation filled week of cold mornings shivering under the covers when I should be out running. I joined the crew this morning and the week's tally was offered up. 70-some miles for Mike. Increasing mileage for Steph just back from injury. Even Ozzie showed up (finally!!) and brought his consistent 60. Me? I offered 21 miles for the week, one session. Mike went home last Sunday after our brutal outing and licked his wounds then got back out to rage against the (wind) machine. I cowered liked a kicked dog refusing to move more than 2 feet away from the life-giving woodstove as the cold winds taunted me outside the frosted windows for the rest of the week.
But no longer! Spring has stuck its nose under the flap of winter's tent and breathed an additional 20 precious degrees into the atmosphere and that has made all the difference! Gone my melancholy ways! Goodbye to shivering fear of frostbite! Hello sunshine! Welcome melting snow! I anticipate the purr of the street sweepers grinding up the road grit at 5am outside the house. I foresee the telltale tracks of mud, the liquid precipitation! Back to training!
I still have six weeks of training left before I taper for the Holyoke Marathon. And what will they be like? - "My prediction? Pain." - Clubber Lang (Rocky III)
And why? Because I have the same problem Lydiard Mike has when he says "Ah, yes, that splendid feeling of running out of fuel before running out of road." I need to solve the issue of the bonk in the final miles. Get beyond mile 22 in good form. Part of the problem (since resolved) is racing strategy. However, there is so much lost from the severe discrepancy of pace pre-20 and pace post-20. Fuel efficiency is a factor and must be tended to. I hope over the next six weeks to put some of this to bed through some good mileage training.
Training this week (so far):
19.2 miles with group 2:49:14
But no longer! Spring has stuck its nose under the flap of winter's tent and breathed an additional 20 precious degrees into the atmosphere and that has made all the difference! Gone my melancholy ways! Goodbye to shivering fear of frostbite! Hello sunshine! Welcome melting snow! I anticipate the purr of the street sweepers grinding up the road grit at 5am outside the house. I foresee the telltale tracks of mud, the liquid precipitation! Back to training!
I still have six weeks of training left before I taper for the Holyoke Marathon. And what will they be like? - "My prediction? Pain." - Clubber Lang (Rocky III)
And why? Because I have the same problem Lydiard Mike has when he says "Ah, yes, that splendid feeling of running out of fuel before running out of road." I need to solve the issue of the bonk in the final miles. Get beyond mile 22 in good form. Part of the problem (since resolved) is racing strategy. However, there is so much lost from the severe discrepancy of pace pre-20 and pace post-20. Fuel efficiency is a factor and must be tended to. I hope over the next six weeks to put some of this to bed through some good mileage training.
Training this week (so far):
19.2 miles with group 2:49:14
posted by Andrew at 3:42 PM
2 Comments:
I don't know why some people can lick their lips in anticipation of the last 6 miles of the marathon while some of us suffer so. I've been thinking of a different eating strategy (not eating before, some strategy eh?) as mcmillanrunning suggests.
On a sidenote, I have even more respect for you and Mike after staying out past 3 hours on a few long runs. There's a big difference between me quitting after 2:30-2:40 or going on for a half an hour longer plus like you guys typically do.
I was at a Running Symposium yesterday. One of the lectures was on Nutrition. She talked about how to eat during your weeks of training, off season and of course fueling for a training session or race and post training or race eating.
Some great tips. But as I already knew being as we are individuals and our bodies all react differently we must often experiment in the weeks before to find the right formula that will work for us.
Good luck with finding that formula, Andrew and good luck with the race.
I look forward to reading both your's and Mike's review on how you both do.
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