- Current plan: Horseshoe Lake 50K Training Plan
- Today’s session: 6 mile run
- Comments: Listened to my wife and took one more day of rest. She’s wise…
Archives For November 30, 1999
- Current plan: Horseshoe Lake 50K Training Plan
- Today’s session: 10 mile run
- Comments: After my run yesterday, I felt good; but, as the day progressed, I started to feel terrible. I seem to have caught the flu or something. So, no running today…actually, not much of anything today.
- Current plan: Big Sur Marathon Recovery Week / Horseshoe Lake 50K Training Plan
- Today’s session: Rest day
- Comments: Slept in until almost 9! On the list for today: Pancakes, grocery shopping, some gardening, and more rest.
what. a. month.
Leading up to the Big Sur Marathon, road running pretty much dominated the mix at 89%, with trail running at 11%, and bicycling at 0%. I also had to travel to Virginia during my final taper week – read: sat in a conference for three days, got focused rest, and ran shorter distances. I even resisted running in Washington D.C. (which was tough!) since that leg was on a rest day.
As far as new equipment, a couple of things this month:
- Arm Sleeves. I wrote about this in two posts (one, two), but the gist of it was that I wanted to wear a short-sleeved shirt for Big Sur, just in case I got warm, and sleeves seemed the best option. I settled on Road Runner Sports’ Smart Sleeves. They worked and are keepers for my runs, rather than wearing long-sleeved shirts.
- Shoes. I picked up a pair of Hoka One One Stinson EVOs this month after reading and researching them. With Big Sur training at the forefront, I only got two runs in with them (one, two); but, based on those runs, I really like them. As I prepare to run my first 50K (May 19), I will be logging more time in them and will write a post about them once I have logged sufficient miles.
The biggest thing this month, as far as training, was the decision to go for it and run an ultra in May – specifically the Horseshoe Lake 50K on May 19. I’d been toying with the thought of running an ultra later in the year, but found a few blog posts and articles about leveraging marathon training (and the marathon itself) as preparation for an ultra. After some analysis of my training, how I anticipated Big Sur would go, and the calendar, I decided to register. We’ll see how it goes, but my goal is to have a blast and finish with a smile.
Anyway, here are the stats for the month that was April 2013:
…wee wee wee all the way home!
Yeah, at about mile four this morning, my left piggy was crying!
My piggy, not me. I sucked it up and kept running!
I tried Injinji toe socks on my run yesterday and today and got a blister on the inside of my left baby toe – my first blister in about 15 months! I know people swear by these socks and that they are supposed to prevent blisters, but shoot!!! I’ll probably give Injinjis another try at some point; but, for now, I’m returning to my standby, Roadrunner Sports socks!
Training Journal – 5/2/13:
- Current plan: Big Sur Marathon Recovery Week / Horseshoe Lake 50K Training Plan
- Today’s session: 6 mile easy run
- Comments: I did 6.23 @ 8:38
This past Sunday, I ran the 28th presentation of the Big Sur International Marathon – – – and my second 26.2! While the name features the “main event” – the marathon – this event had several other component races to it: 5K, 9 mile, 10.6 mile, 21 mile, and a marathon relay (two to five people.) It was a massive undertaking by the race organizers, the timing company, law enforcement and military, and volunteers – one that was extremely well done!
The weather was perfect: about 46 degrees at the start and overcast. There wasn’t too much wind to speak of at the start area; but, as expected, it was breezy on the course…though not as much as I’ve heard it was last year. Over the course of the marathon, the weather went from cloudy, to sunny, to light fog/clouds, to VERY nice at the finish.
One word for the course: beautiful. Flat out BEAUTIFUL! Beautiful enough that I broke form and took pictures, knowing I was sacrificing my goal time for the race. The course is a point-to-point, that starts at Pfeiffer State Park in Big Sur and makes its way North along Highway 1 and finishes in Carmel. Course support was excellent as was the on-course entertainment: a couple of bands, the Taiko Drums, and the pianist at Hurricane Point, to name a few.
The post-race expo was great (food, drink, etc.) I got my SWAG, looked around, and went to the finish line to watch people come across – looking for two friends who were also running. I only got to see one finish, as there was a massive amount of people – a bummer!
All in all, a great race and one that I will be back to do again…and again!
The Trend:
At lunch, I checked to see if any pictures had been uploaded from Sunday’s Big Sur Marathon. The header of my page caught my eye…it really put the past 19 months into perspective!
- 9/2011: Off da Couch
- 11/2011: My first 5K (Big Sur PG Lighthouse 5K)
- 11/2012: Half Marathon #8 (Big Sur Half on MB)
- 4/2013: Marathon #2 (BSIM)
That said…
The Lie:
In my post yesterday, I wrote, “I’m happy with my time: 3:59:45 @ 9:09 pace.”
Full disclosure: I lied.
I should have said that I was OK with my time…but that’s just me…racing against myself…knowing what I coulda done.
Still, I am hugely satisfied (SUB-FOUR, BABY!), and will certainly reflect that in my race report (probably posted tomorrow.) It’s just the post-race, “if I had only” or “If I hadn’t of” thoughts that have been running through my mind. I know they’re common though, so I’m sure I am in good company…
ONWARD & GIDDY-UP!
Training Journal – 4/30/13:
- Current plan: Big Sur Marathon Recovery Week / Horseshoe Lake 50K Training Plan
- Today’s session: 4 mile easy run
- Comments: I did 4.25 @ 8:36. Not “easy”, but it did feel good. We’ll see how things go tomorrow!
…what are you going to do now?
My first ULTRA!
I’m running the Horseshoe Lake 50K (that’s 31 miles for us non-metric people) on May 19th. I’m leveraging my 18 weeks of training, doing an modified recovery week, adding a training week, and then a shortened taper.
So, yesterday was a culmination and a long run day as well!
BOOYAH!
(uttered with some nervousness, but still…BOOYAH!)
Training Journal – 4/29/13:
- Current plan: Big Sur Marathon / Horseshoe Lake 50K Training Plan
- Today’s session: Rest
- Comments: Much needed and deserved rest day!
Marathon número dos is in the books: Big Sur International Marathon.
It was a BEAUTIFUL day along the coast! I’m happy with my time: 3:59:45 @ 9:09 pace. I was trying for a slightly faster time, but stopped to take some pics (it was hard to pass up!), hit the portajohn at the midpoint (glad I made this choice!), and walked ahead of some cramps I felt coming on a few times (I’m learning!)
Still, it’s a new PR and a sub-four hour finish too…15 precious seconds!
Full report later this week.
Training Journal – 4/28/13:
- Current plan: Big Sur Marathon Training Plan – RACE DAY!
- Today’s session: 26.2 baby!
- Comments: See above…more deets later this week
- Weekly mileage: Running: 43.16 / Bicycling: 0
Tomorrow’s the day: Big Sur Marathon.
My second 26.2 and the culmination of 18 weeks of training. I’m prepared, but still nervous…anxious. It’s natural, though.
I’ve had two quotes in front of me; one for 18 weeks (it’s on each page of my training plan,) the other I heard just this week:
The 18-week’er:
“Do the work. Do the analysis. But feel your run. Feel your race. Feel the joy that is running.”
~Kara Goucher, American long-distance runner
The new one:
“You are better than you think you are, and you can do more than you think you can.”
~Ken Chlouber, Leadville 100 founder.
Both good, both keepers.
Training Journal – 4/27/13:
- Current plan: Big Sur Marathon Training Plan – W18/D6
- Today’s session: Shake-out run, day two of carb loading, and head to Monterey
- Comments: 3.71 miles @ 7:43
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