Week 14: Marathon Training

Training For:
Philadelphia Marathon
Sunday, November 20, 2011

Week 14:

October 31 – November 6, 2011

Day	Date	Session
Mon	Oct 31	60 min, Zone 1 – 2
Tues	Nov 01	60 min, Zone 1-2
Wed	Nov 02	REST
Thu	Nov 03	60 min, Zone 1 – 2
Fri	Nov 04	60 min, Zone 1 – 2
Sat	Nov 05	120 min
Sun	Nov 06	REST
Total		6.0 hr Run

Mon and Fri:
Optional Cross-Train Days

Week 14 of my 16 week marathon training program for the Philadelphia Marathon started today. My taper has officially begun! After running 9+ hours last week, which included a 20 mile long run, I won't know what to do with my extra time. Mentally, I know I have to stay strong and continue to focus on stretching and eating well. No slacking off in the good nutrition area. And, I want to be sure to get plenty of rest.

I continue to do my weekday easy runs early in the morning at the gym. I typically arrive at the gym between 5:30am and 6:00am and there are a couple of regulars who are always there. We keep good company and the time passes quickly.

Good luck to everyone who is training and keep up with the great work…..

Happy Running!
John

 

More Milestones Achieved in October

Although there is one more day in October, my running is complete for the month. And, what a month it was! I just completed week 13 of my 16-week training program for the Philadelphia Marathon and it was the most strenuous of all training weeks. During week 13 alone, I logged 9.12 hours of running and that included a 20 mile long run (on the treadmill) today!

Since August, I steadily increased my running hours and distance covered. I remember back when I was in running camp during July when the coaches talked about logging 40-50 hours a week and thinking there was no way I'd be able to pull it off. But, to my surprise and satisfaction, I was able to keep up with the program and do what I had to do.

In fact, today I had to resort to running my 20 mile long run on the treadmill due to unfavorable weather conditions. Yesterday, we had a very unusual Nor'Easter storm that dumped close to 7 inches of snow in the area where I live outside of Philadelphia and the roads were still being cleared this morning so I bit the bullet and went to the gym to do my 20! My goodness – what a challenge that was! I tend to run slower on the treadmill so I took my time, listened to music on my iPod and finished in 3:47. Looking forward to my REST day tomorrow.

Here are some of more notable achievements for October:

• Ran a total distance of 201 miles. That represents a 21% increase from September (166 miles) and a 40% increase from August (144 miles).
  
• Hit a weekly mileage milestone of 50 miles during the week of October 3-9.
  
• Hit a weekly duration milestone of 9 hours 12 minutes during the week of October 24-31.
  
• Placed 2^nd in my age group (Male 55-59) at the OctoRun 13K Race in Hatfield, PA on October 24.
  

So, with October coming to a close and the Philadelphia Marathon just 3 weeks from TODAY, my taper officially begins tomorrow. This will be interesting for me since this will be my first full marathon – that means, this will also be my first taper after preparing so hard for the past 13 weeks. I am going to have to re-discover some lost hobbies to fill in the extra time that I'll be having on my hands!

Happy and Safe Running Folks,
John

Placed 2nd in My Age Group (M55-59)

I guess I should have hung around for the awards ceremony yesterday because I placed 2^nd in my age group (M55-59) at the OctoRun 13K race in Hatfield, PA! What a great surprise. Based on my overall placement (94^th) and time (1:10:57), I really wasn't expecting an award winning finish but I'll take it! This makes me really proud of the progress I've made with my training and helps build my confidence for running the Philadelphia Marathon in just under 4 weeks!

Happy and Safe Running,
John

Week 13: Marathon Training

Training For:
Philadelphia Marathon
Sunday, November 20, 2011

Week 13:

October 24 – 30, 2011

Day	Date	Session
Mon	Oct 24	60 min, Zone 1 – 2
Tues	Oct 25	75 min, Zone 2
Wed	Oct 26	REST
Thu	Oct 27	90 min, Zone 2
Fri	Oct 28	60 min, Zone 1 – 2
Sat	Oct 29	210 min
Sun	Oct 30	REST
Total		8.25 hr Run

Mon and Fri:
Optional Cross-Train Days

Week 13 of my 16 week marathon training program begins tomorrow. This represents the LONGEST of running hours in the entire 16 weeks – Yikes! But, I am heading into the week feeling prepared and strong to meet the challenge. Hard to believe that my 3-week taper will begin once I finish this week. So, that is something to look forward to!

I didn't have any single 'gotcha' or 'wow' moments this past week. However, I was very pleased with my results today at the OctoRun 13K Race in Hatfield, PA – finished in 1:10:59 (8:50 min pace). I really felt as if I was in tune with my body and surroundings. I finished very strong – my 7, 8 and 9 mile splits were 8:49.9, 8:06.0 and 7:06.9. I felt like I was flying across the finish line. It was also great reassurance to hear folks acknowledging my strong finish as I approached that finish line.

Looking forward to approaching this week's training with a vengeance – wanting to keep strong and avoid injury!

Good luck to everyone who is training and keep up with the great work…..

Happy Running!
John

OctoRun 13K

Race: OctoRun 13K (Hatfield, PA) by jbaker614 at Garmin Connect - Details

This morning was an absolutely beautiful fall morning for the 2^nd Annual OctoRun 13K in Hatfield, PA. Blue skies, a chill in the air (around 50 degrees at race time), and a couple hundred of runners hit the streets of Hatfield township. I felt that I had a really strong run, finishing in 1:10:59 (8:50 pace). It was primarily a flat course with a few inclines and I was happy that my average pace was stronger than my best 10K race thus far and this race was 3K longer. To me, that is an indicator that my training is paying off!

This week it's back to business with my marathon training – it is week 13 of my 16-week training program for the Philadelphia Marathon and it represents the longest number of hours (8.25) of running in the whole program. I will be back to the treadmill early tomorrow (Monday) morning to kick off the week to a great start.

Happy and Safe Running!
John

Week 12: Marathon Training

Training For:
Philadelphia Marathon
Sunday, November 20, 2011

Week 12:

October 17 – 23, 2011

Day	Date	Session
Mon	Oct 17	60 min, Zone 1 – 2
Tues	Oct 18	75 min, Zone 2
Wed	Oct 19	REST
Thu	Oct 20	75 min, Zone 2
Fri	Oct 21	60 min, Zone 1 – 2
Sat	Oct 22	REST
Sun	Oct 23	210 min
Total		7.50 hr Run

Mon and Fri:
Optional Cross-Train Days

Week 12 of my 16 week marathon training program begins tomorrow. I will have a slight change in schedule as I ran my long run today (Sunday) instead of yesterday (Saturday) because of weather conditions so tomorrow (Monday) will be a REST day for me!

My biggest milestone achieved this week (actually earlier today) was a 20-mile long run – my longest run to date! It was a beautiful fall morning so I got an early start – temps were in the low 50's when I started and low 70's when I finished. All-in-all, I felt like I ran very strong, finishing in 3:20:41. That gives me a 10:02 pace which seems to be right on target for my marathon goal.

I was thankful that I invested in a new hydration/fueling belt yesterday as it worked perfectly for me. I filled 2 of the bottles with water and the other 2 bottles with my electrolyte lemon lime fizz. Also, I went through 3 of my Gu's - banana-strawberry continues to be my favorite flavor.

Week 12 calls for me to scale back on my long run so next weekend I will plan to run 15 miles. I'll have one more opportunity to run 20 miles prior to marathon day!

Good luck to everyone who is training and keep up with great work…..

Happy Running!
John

20-Mile Long Run

Run: Long Run (20 Miles) by jbaker614 at Garmin Connect - Details

Another milestone achieved earlier today when I completed a 20 mile long run in 3:20. It was a beautiful fall weather morning and I had a great time running along the Delaware River Canal from Yardley to New Hope, PA and back! I kept myself well hydrated (every 15 minutes) and refueled (every 45 minutes). Confidence is gaining as I approach the final 5 weeks of training before I run the Philaldelphia Marathon on Sunday, November 20.

Getting Ready for a 20-Mile Long Run

I don't want to jinx myself but this is the weekend I am scheduled to hit the 20-mile mark on my long run so that means tomorrow (Sunday) will be the day. I will be heading to the Delaware River Canal in Yardley, PA and begin my trek close to Cramer's Bakery. It will be 10 miles out and then 10 miles back.

20 miles will be my longest distance thus far. The last time I ran the canal was 2 weeks ago and I managed 15 miles. Then, last weekend, I ran the 18-Mile race in Long Beach Island, NJ. The last 4 miles of that race were a real struggle for me as the temperature was 85 degrees and I was not sufficiently hydrated.

To help me with my re-fueling, I bought a new water belt today with 4 containers that will provide me with plenty of room for water, electrolytes and carbohydrates so I should be all set to go.

Dinner this evening was Penne Pasta with Chicken and a Pink Cream Sauce. Simply delish. Now, all I need to do is get a good night's sleep and be sure to stretch, stretch, and stretch before I head out tomorrow.

Happy and Safe Running!
John

Flexible Training Schedule

I really, really prefer to run my long runs on Saturday mornings. This is generally what works well for my schedule. I enjoy getting an early start and at the latest, I am finished by mid to late morning. And that gives me the rest of the day to catch up on errands, do laundry, etc. Plus, the biggest advantage for me is that running long on Saturday lets me take Sunday as a REST day which allows me the cushion of a day before I head back to work and the office.

Looking at this weekend's weather forecast, however, I am seriously considering running long on Sunday, rather than Saturday. Lingering showers and very windy conditions do not sound very appealing to me at the moment as I am planning to go 20 miles this weekend – my longest distance thus far ever!

So, more and more, Sunday is looking like my preferred day for running those 20 miles. The weather forecasters are predicting a 'typical fall day' and that is exactly what I am going to need to stay focused and motivated!

Now, all I have to finalize is the route. I am considering either the Delaware River Canal or Doylestown. More to follow on that decision later.

Happy and Safe Running!
John

Just 5 Weeks to Go!

It continues to amaze me how quickly the weeks are passing by in preparation for the Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday, November 20.  I am in week 11 of my 16-week training program and just 2 weeks away from my taper.  This coming weekend will be a HUGE milestone for me as it will be my first attempt at a 20-mile long run.  After last week's 18-mile race in the blazing sun along the New Jersey shore (and 85 degree temps), I was very happy to see this coming weekend's weather forecast: TYPICAL fall weather with temperatures in the mid to upper 60's - YES!
 
My 2 biggest lessons learned from last weekend were: (1) don't start out too fast; and (2) replenish electrolytes.
 
Of course, it's easy to get all caught up in the excitement on race day and what the heck?  "Everyone else is running fast so I should run fast too" was my rationale but it all caught up to me around mile 12 when I suddenly realized I was running out of juice.

So, in preparation for my 20-mile long run, I purchased BodyTech Electrolyte Fizz (Lemon Lime) from the The Vitamin Shoppe last evening and tested it during my 8-mile run on the treadmill this morning.  I actually ran very strong this morning so maybe it helped to make a difference.  It was also reassuring for me to know that I did not have any adverse stomach or intestinal reactions to my new 'juice'!

Still haven't finally decided on the route for my 20-miler this weekend.  I am thinking I'll run the Delaware Canal but I'm considering other alternatives at this point.

Happy and Safe Running!
John

 
 

18 Mile Race

Race: LBI 18-Mile Race by jbaker614 at Garmin Connect - Details

Today I ran an 18-mile race in Long Beach Island, NJ. This was my first time running and racing this distance so I instantly have a new PR – Yeah! Unfortunately, the weather conditions were brutal. A very sunny day and the temperature was 85 degrees. Also, the race had a later than usual start (10:30AM) so it was already warm when we began. I was really hoping to finish in 3 hours but I missed that target by 8 minutes finishing in 3:08:30. Considering the conditions, I shouldn't beat myself up too much.

Right now, both of my Achilles' are SCREAMING so I've been trying to ice them for 15 minutes every half hour. I am hoping this is temporary as I do not want to have another injury.

Tomorrow will definitely be a REST day. I plan on getting a very good night's sleep tonight. There won't be much keeping my head from hitting the pillow tonight.

Happy and Safe Running!
John

8.0 Mile Run Today

Run: Easy Run by jbaker614 at Garmin Connect - Details

This morning was the most beautiful Saturday morning we have experienced here on the eastern seaboard in quite some time. I was up early and planned to do an easy 6-mile run but once I got going, I felt strong and continued on for 8 miles. There were lots of runners out today – the weather could not have been nicer.

Tomorrow is an 18-mile race in Long Beach Island, NJ so I'll be heading out pretty early since I will have nearly a 2-hour drive to get there.

Happy and Safe Running!
John

1,000 Mile Mark

My 7-mile easy run this morning pushed me over the 1,000 mile mark for 2011. Yes, indeed - another milestone achieved! It's really amazing how the miles add up when training for a marathon. This week, I will probably hit 45 miles since I will be running an 18-mile race on Sunday. There will be at least 3 more weeks of high mileage before I begin my 3-week taper for the Philadelphia Marathon on November 20.

Something tells me that post-marathon and post-Thanksgiving, I'll be taking advantage of some well deserved R&R before I begin training for another event in the Spring of 2012.

Happy Running!
John

The Spirit of the Marathon

Tonight, while I was on Facebook, I came across this YouTube video on one of my running group pages and WOW - did it resonate with me and inspire me! This video captures the "Why run a marathon for 5 different runners from various backgrounds. Whether it's a way to find happiness, do something that most people cannot do, or if it's a job, the common theme across the board is recognizing that running a marathon is one of the most challenging physical and emotional events of a lifetime.

Week 10: Marathon Training

Training For:
Philadelphia Marathon
Sunday, November 21, 2011

Week 10:

October 3 – 9, 2011

Day	Date	Session
Mon	Oct 03	60 min, Zone 1 – 2
Tues	Oct 04	75 min, Zone 2
Wed	Oct 05	REST
Thu	Oct 06	75 min, Zone 2
Fri	Oct 07	60 min, Zone 1 – 2
Sat	Oct 08	REST
Sun	Oct 09	165 min
Total		7.25 hr Run

Mon and Fri:
Optional Cross-Train Days

The weeks just seem to be flying by and tomorrow begins Week 10 of my 16-week marathon training program for the Philadelphia Marathon. Last week I had to resort to a mix of indoor and outdoor running during the weekdays because of all the rain we've been experiencing. Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to get a 15-mile run along the Delaware canal and was able to meet a couple other runners who are training for the Philadelphia Marathon. They told me about an 18 mile race in Long Beach Island (LBI), New Jersey next Sunday so that fits perfectly into my plan. So, rather than running the 18 miles by myself, I'll be with a bunch of other runners in LBI – perfect!

My 15-mile long run this past week was the longest distance I've run so far. I felt pretty darn good up until the last mile. It was cooler and I wasn't paying as much attention to keeping hydrated so I think that was my mistake. Another lesson learned.

Good luck to everyone who is training and keep up with great work…..

Happy Running!
John