Relentless

AM - 3 AC. A short shake out run with the team this morning before I head off to Phoenix. (Landreth blue 903.65)

Phoenix Marathon 2:29:26

Up early and to the busses.  Ally dropped me off and I walked over to the busses and found Riley and Spencer getting on the bus just as I was, so it was nice to tie in with somebody.  After the long drive down yesterday, Ally and I drove the course last night and I noticed that the first four were pretty nice.  Then the two miles up in the neighborhood, really were a pretty good uphill.  Following which there was another nice section for 2 or 3 miles and then it was flat.  As I drove the long straights, I kept telling myself that it really was flat and that even though I knew it would feel uphill when I was tired, it was flat and I would be okay. We also planned a few places for her to meet me and I hoped she would find them all okay. 

So anyway... got on the bus and up to the start.  It was only just a tiny bit cool at the start and I worried how warm it was going to get warm quick as the sun came up.  Hit a secret bathroom, talked with Jake a little and got to the line.

(Splits are by Garmin - which was on for the first three miles and then got off.  I know that Garmins aren't perfect, but this was the most I was ever off in a marathon.  And on the curvy parts of the race, I was all alone so I took very good tangents.  When we hit halfers, it was on the straights and I didn't really have to dodge much; I just ran outside the cones when necessary.  So what I am saying is that I really suspect the race was a bit long, but it is what it is).

1-5:38, very easy start in the lead group of about 5 of us.  Some dude jumps out in the lead.  2-5:18, Jake and the others start to go a little quicker, using the downhill and I just stick to the back of the group.  3-5:30, we turn off Usery and catch the leader (who I was calling Brooks in my mind because he was wearing a green Brooks singlet and green Connects.  I let Riley, Jake, and Kenyan go up in front of me.  I knew I was in for a long lonely ride.  4-5:31, A guy yells at Brooks to use the downhill and he suddenly sprints past me.  I catch him in 50 meters.  5-5:57, we start uphill and the lead three have put some 20 seconds (a guess) on me.  As we turn a kid comes up along side me (side note #1:  All day I thought it was weird that I just won the 35-39 age division - when the crap did I get so old?  And now as I am typing this I call a early 20's dude a kid!  I guess I am old) and a guy who turns out to be his coach is yelling at him to work the uphill (side note #2: I had named green guy Brooks in my mind and people around me kept yelling, "Go Brooks."  Turns out this kid was named Brooks).  He and I chatted and he was an NAIA kid going for his marathon qualifier.  The time he needed was 2:44.  I thought to myself, "Then you are not in the right place right now."  I urged him to relax and stay with me.  No need to push up these hills.  6-5:50, Ally had met me just past 5 with a water with a Carb Boom (gel) mixed in.  Last night I had thought this was too early, but I am glad I decided too.  It was already hot and I needed liquid and whatever.  I was already taking water at the aid station and soaking my head trying to keep cool before it really got hot.  At the top of the hills, I timed the gap and it was 40 seconds.  7-5:07, making the turn I gave some last parting advice to Brooks and just let the downhill roll.  This was a real cool section of the run (my favorite) and generous as shown by the time.  8-5:14, another nice mile and I notice something, the guys aren't pulling away anymore.  9-5:20, I don't really remember the course as well as SG or whatever, so I kind of forget the miles, but I do remember I just felt amazing through here.  Of course the thoughts go through your head about keeping calm, slowing down for later and such.  But I was just running.  10-5:15+25 secs.  By this time, the watch was reading way off on the miles.  So I hit lap when I passes the official 10 mile mark.  I would guess that from mile 4 on, the watch was reading 5-6 secs. early each mile - so I should keep that in mind when going back to evaluate my splits.  We are on one of the long straights.  Many more to come.  11-5:25, this mile was just a second early and then it started getting off track again.  Ally met me in here with my second water and gel.  She also handed me my hat which I was very happy for.  I had been soaking at every aid station and now I could keep my head wet.  12-5:17, Brooks' coach was leapfrogging me to yell for his kid and he told me I was gaining on the leaders.  They actually were staying the same distance (maybe coming back a few seconds), but it felt good to still have them right there.  13-5:26, I hit the official half at 1:12:03.  I felt very good and was realistically thinking that 5:30 pace was very possible as I knew that the pain would soon be coming, but then I would run a 2:25.  14-5:23, still staying very strong and I felt good about the whole 5:30 thing.  15-5:35+8 secs (reset the watch again to the official markers), but here I started to fade.  16-5:37, tried to tell myself that I was still doing well and that I could bring the time back and all was good.  But I know my body and it was tired.  Ally got me a third water and gel here and also 2 electrolyte pills.  I actually think this saved me a bit.  I wish I would have taken a set just a little earlier and then another set around 19-20.  17-5:36, one last time I see Brooks' coach and he tells me that one has fallen off the pack (around here somewhere).  I start to see Riley up ahead and it gives me a little boast.  18-5:44, but we get into heavy 1/2 traffic and I can't see him anymore.  I really think that if I could have seen him continually, I could have kept a little mental energy.  19-5:46, was hoping to see Ally here but I saw all the road closures and all the runner and driving traffic and realized she wasn't going to make it to our last couple planned stops.  Was bummed because I had a flat Pepsi for that last 10K zip and I wanted a couple more e-caps.  Oh well... it had been neat seeing her along the way - now I was really on my own (even though I was in the midst of many trafficy 1/2'ers.  Although the 1/2 was in the way like usual and they messed up my view of Riley, I only really had 1 situation where someone really messed me up.  An old lady cut right into me and I had to jump to the side not to kill her.  Unfortunately, the jump took me into two other ladies and I had to stop.  They were nice about it, but it was tough to get moving again.  I think that happened here on 20.  20-5:46+10secs to re-adjust to the final 10K, just can't quit get the legs moving fast enough.  21-6:02, bummed to see a +6:00 going into the final 10K.  It kind of shot me into survival mode.  22-5:52, was doing calculations about ending times and things were still looking like sub 2:28 if I could roll out some 5:40-45's.  23-6:00, but not when you do that.  24-6:08, ehhh.  Tired, end it all.  25-6:20, maybe someday I'll learn how to finish a marathon.  26-5:58+28secs to re-adjust again (see, that is what I am talking about - getting of 28 seconds in just 5 miles; that is too much), decided to kind of suck it up and get it going and finish.  There was a downhill here to the final turn and I tried to move it a little.  To tell the truth, I thought this mile would have been quicker.  I must have really been stinking it up before the downhill.  .2-1:25 (5:44 pace), even this was .25 and the 1/2'ers had split to their own side, so no traffic and perfect tangents (I really am not complaining, just working some of this out in my head/in print).  Good thing I did try and pick it up because I kept seeing my watch creep closer and closer to 2:30 and I was thinking I had worked too dang hard for the last 3 months and the last 26 miles to let a sub 2:30 go.   (Adios 93.75)

A couple notes:  my feet got pretty hot.  Don't know if it was the race/heat or the Adios.  It was a warm day, but not brutal.  Obviously, I run in much hotter than this all the time; the difference was that I haven't for many months.  Any days in the upper 50's have seemed very warm - and that has been on easy runs; no hot/warm training runs.  So temps of 50-upper 60's is very warm for me right now.  The long straights are tough on me mentally; always have been.  Need to figure out how to work through that.  And 23 miles solo is no way to run a marathon.

I obviously would have like to had a much quicker time.  I really believe I am in my best shape ever.  But at the same time, I kind of thought I would be about 5 minutes back of Jake and that is about where I was - if I wouldn't have gone 1:17 in the second half and gone more like 1:15 I would have been much happier.  Nonetheless, I am very fine with how it all went.  I have had races that didn't go super great and then let it totally affect me in so many ways.  Today was no different; things could have gone better.  But they did go well, and I am happy and a peace with the result and what I was given today.

Goals for next week: recover and have fun with my family and with the team with my extra time. 

Also, it was fun to meet a few new people like Spencer, Burt, Collin and a few others.  Utah and the blog did great. 

afternoon - 4 2xDI.  Just warmed and cooled with the team around their workout.  Didn't feel horrid; just like I had run a marathon.  While they did weights, I hit the eliptical for 15 minutes.  (F50 449)

AM - 3 AC.  Felt a bit better this morning.  Still keeping it very easy.  (Oregon 558.75)

AM - 4 AC.  Extended the AC to hit because I forgot the boys were going 4 and turned us around at the usual 3.  Felt pretty dang good today.  Not much soreness left at these short distances and easy speeds.  (Connect 491.75)

AM - 3 AC.  Feeling pretty good.  Of course it is just 3, but I am happy with my recovery. (Free 765.45)

afternoon - 5 Green Springs.  Up into GS with the team.  First double, but it was way easy so no stress on me.  (Kinvara3 298.25)

AM - 3 AC.  Again still sticking with 3 in the mornings.  Feels nice to be running and feeling okay.  (Triumph silver 838.05)

afternoon - 5 Fire Station. Ran over to the fire station as the team did a workout. (rocket 623.5)

morning - 7.5 Parkway/2x8th. Easy run on the Parkway and then 2 miles with Ry and a pretty good pace for her. (Mana 312)

Good recovery week. Kept it very easy and enjoyable.

Goals for next week: keep it pretty easy throughout the week. Would be a great week for a ton of mileage with Spring Break and nice weather.

morning - 11.5 PV/2xDI/home. Over to practice and then DI warm and cool with the team. then home and a couple miles with the girls. Have been working on my turnover and foot strike during this down time. The last couple days I've been thinking about the marathon and kind of (just a little) bummed about the last few miles. I really want to improve that part of my run for the next one. (Kinvara3 309.75)

morning - 8.5 PV/home.  Legs felt about as bad as they have in a week.  I don't know why, but I was kind of bummed.  I had actually even thought about trying the tempo with some of the team - probably the girls, but I was so hammered that I knew that was out of the question.  (F50 457.5)

morning - 9.5 PV/Old Man. Ran over to practice and then over to the hills to watch the team. Allergies have gone nuts this week and they are wiping me out. And I think it might be mixed in with (or turning into) a head cold. Killing me. (Connect 501.25)

morning - 9 PV/2xDI. Over to school for practice again and then the warm/cool with the team and home. After a horrid nights sleep with congestion and just feeling rancid, I woke up feeling much better. (Oregon 567.75)

afternoon - 5 Grass/8th. Decided to finally try a double this week. And it was nice because I actually wanted to. Nobody took me up on my offer for Barefooting on the grass though. Too bad, the sprinklers were on, it was warm, and life was great. Did 3 and then striders. Then came home and took the dog around. (Barefoot '13 38.5)(Zero 168.75)

morning - 10.5 PV/Washington. Over to practice and then an easy 4 and back home with Molly's Mile. Pretty tired this morning. (Kinvara 814.4)

afternoon - 5 Dirt Mile. Went up the dirt mile and ran in the warm afternoon. Took it easy, but the legs and body seem to be feeling stronger - mind is also getting ready to get rolling again when the body is ready. (Zero 173.75)

AM - 5 Parkway.  Up as early as I could get myself (5:00) and out for an easy 5 miler before heading out to a track meet.  (F50 462.5)

Week was okay.  Kind of want to get going again.

Goals for next week:  PV Invite week so I will be super busy.  Just get in what I can.

AM - 6 AC/Lutheran.  Trying to get back into the usual groove.  (Free 771.45)

afternoon - 9.75 4xmile.  Ran DI warm/cool and 4x1600 with Rachel and some of the boys.  It felt good to get the legs moving a little and do something - times were 6:08's.  On the warm up I rolled my ankle on the uneven road/gutter and about got hit by a car as I tried to catch my balance.  Then after the run and running with my girls, my knee started doing it's pudging up thing and hurt all night.  Kind of in a blah groove.  (Hyper Speed 2 281.25)

AM - 6 AC/Lutheran.  Planned on running to school today, but my knee hurt all night and I figured I shouldn't push it too much on it.  So... blah.  It will go away soon, but it is just a pain when this happens.  (Boston 990.75)

afternoon - 8 Roller Coaster.  Out on the Shinob Kibe roller coasters for an easy run followed by 8xbarefoot striders.  (Barefoot '13 39.5)(Triumph silver 845.05)

AM - 6 AC/Lutheran.  More of the same for me.  Just kind of stuck in a rut.  Knee and ankle both feeling a little better.  (Rocket 629.5)

afternoon - 7 laps/2xDI. Just ran around a bit as much as I could. Felt pretty goodby the end. A couple sets of light weights. (Ohana racers 709.25)

AM - 9.5 Dirt/AC/Lutheran. Was up a little early, so I went and got a little extra in. Took Molly around, then up to a few miles on the Dirt Mile in the very dark and the usual practice run. (Connect 510.75)

Didn't get anything in the afternoon and was a bit bummed by it. Had to get fingerprints done and pick up stuff for the meet. Got to practice late and then had to set up a bunch of stuff for the meet and then church stuff. Long day, with longer days to come for the weekend.

AM - 6 AC/Lutheran. Should have gotten up earlier like I had planned, but I used the excuse of the long day ahead at our track meet to catch an extra hour of sleep before practice. (Landreth blue 909.65)

AM - 11 Junction. Finished off a pretty blah week with a good run. After getting out on the dark, dark road I decided to push the last five in at around Tinman effort - no watch, so I went by feel. Decided it is time to get moving again, and untamed tempos are a good kick-off. When I got home and checked the time, I saw that I must have actually really hit a good pace on the way back; probably around 5:30-40, which made sense because I was working hard (but not crazy), but I thought it was because I haven't ran hard in three weeks. Took the dog around. (Oregon 578.75)

Made it through the week... That w the goal.

Goals for the week: bump the miles up a little bit, get a workout or two in to start getting ready to bring some structure to it all.

AM - 6 AC/Lutheran. I just have no desire at all to wake up earlier than necessary for practice and get extra miles in. (F50 468.5)

afternoon - 8.5 4x1000. Warmed and cooled with DI and hit 4x1000 with Abel. Wasn't sure if I could help him with the workout, but it went well. His goal time was 3:10. We went 3:06, 3:09, 3:10, 3:09. He then killed his 300. He is really working into quite the runner. Finished up with weights. (Zero 182.25)

AM - 11 Parkway/AC/Lutheran.  Was able to get out of bed and get the extra miles in since I can't get any more with a track meet this afternoon.  (Kinvara3 320.75)

AM - 12 Parkway/Pizzax2/laps.  Doing better at forcing myself out of bed - 2nd day in a row!  Tried to get up early enough to take the dog around after the Parkway, but only had enough time to go the short block (need about 3 more minutes).  Up the Parkway I did 5x10 sec hills (like yesterday).  Then at practice ran Pizza warm and cool and laps as some of the team ran their workout.  (Hyper Speed 340.25)
afternoon - 7 Starbucks. Easy pre-race run with the team. I jumped in on the 4x200's and then ran with my girls a bit when I got home. (?)

AM - 11 Buena Vista/AC/DI ext. Up again to get some mileage with a meet this afternoon. I was excited to no have to train during track season, but I guess somehow I am going to try now. Felt like a slug this morning. (Stratus grey 1092.35)

morning - 15.5 PV/River Trail. No school, so practice at 8:00. Ran over and then a 10 miler with 20 minute tempo with the team. Tempo was a good progression through AT, starting at 5:45 and working into the :20's for an average of :33. It was good to push a little even though it was only for 20 minutes. Slowly that will start growing now. Then ran home. (Mana 327.5)

morning - 15 Prospector. Not too shabby. I love running in the desert. Great cool temps and a nice sunrise. (VertK 88.5)

Got the mileage up a bit this week (even with multiple singles) and got a few starter workouts in to beat me up a little.

Goals for next week: take it a bit closer to 100 (probably around 95) and extend the tempo session and another interval session. Have decided that if I am going to run UV I had better get going a bit, but... I am not going to stress too much about it - I can't make it my number 1 priority of the spring (just too much going on).

Just 282.25 miles for the month. A very low month for me. I just need to remember why (because I was worn down and recovering from a long tough set of marathon training and I needed it) so I don't beat myself up about it. Only drove 112.2 in the Jeep though, so I am still way ahead for the year. 400.2 driving vs. 1147 running.