Confession: I would love to run a BQ (that's sub 3:35 for me). I would also love to run a sub-1:40 half. And a sub-5:30 50k. And on and on and on.
I want to be speedy. I also hate speed. Give me 50 slow miles any day.
I haven't really talked about what I want for 2013, but in two more weeks we will nearly be a fourth of the way through it (wow that was fast), so its as good a time as any to lay out the rest of the year.
While I am running pretty much back to normal post-injury, I am still feeling very anti-training. Training scares me. I much rather "wing it" and run when I want and when it feels right, than feel forced to run by what some number on a chart tells me.
My goals this year do not include a 50 mile race. Not that I'm done with them forever (and there is still a 100 miler somewhere in my future), but this year I just want to kick back and have fun. And fun to me means marathons. At this point I don't have any real intentions of gunning for a BQ, but it would be nice if it happened. I surprised myself in the fall by running a 24 minute PR of 3:46 that was both completely untapered and in the middle of JFK training. Is a sub-3:35 possible? Maybe.
So, going back to speed, I really dislike it, but it also makes me feel really good when I do it. And, while I do not set training plan at the moment, I can still mess around with speed workouts just because.
For me, the worst thing about going fast is the discomfort. My lungs and burning, my legs are burning, and I just want it to end. The longer you run fast, the more it hurts. So, yesterday, I decided to run some speedy treadmill intervals one minute at a time, because hey, you can do anything for a minute, right? This is what it looked like:
I did two sets in a row, running 4.75 miles in 40 minutes and finishing up the quarter miles for kicks at whatever pace I felt like. While 5 miles on the treadmill is usually boring as hell, this time it flew by. And, as I suspected, speding one minute at a time at each pace wasn't mentally devastating. Those 7:30 pace minutes felt a little rough the second time through, but overall I felt pretty strong.
Lastly, in case anyone is curious, I've already lined up my fall race schedule. Most resgistrations are opening within the next month, so as much as I'd just like to think about warmer weather and spring, you snooze and you lose with race registrations!
September 8 - Lehigh Valley Marathon - A flat, fast, potentially PR-friendly race that's also only an hour away from me. Sold.
October 27 - Marine Corps Marathon - Registration doesn't open until later this month and it sells out in hours, but if I can get in I hear this is one of the best races in the country.
November 17 - Philadelphia Marathon - A great race, right outside my doorstep, and also where I ran my first marathon.
What's on your fall race schedule?
I want to be speedy. I also hate speed. Give me 50 slow miles any day.
I haven't really talked about what I want for 2013, but in two more weeks we will nearly be a fourth of the way through it (wow that was fast), so its as good a time as any to lay out the rest of the year.
While I am running pretty much back to normal post-injury, I am still feeling very anti-training. Training scares me. I much rather "wing it" and run when I want and when it feels right, than feel forced to run by what some number on a chart tells me.
My goals this year do not include a 50 mile race. Not that I'm done with them forever (and there is still a 100 miler somewhere in my future), but this year I just want to kick back and have fun. And fun to me means marathons. At this point I don't have any real intentions of gunning for a BQ, but it would be nice if it happened. I surprised myself in the fall by running a 24 minute PR of 3:46 that was both completely untapered and in the middle of JFK training. Is a sub-3:35 possible? Maybe.
So, going back to speed, I really dislike it, but it also makes me feel really good when I do it. And, while I do not set training plan at the moment, I can still mess around with speed workouts just because.
For me, the worst thing about going fast is the discomfort. My lungs and burning, my legs are burning, and I just want it to end. The longer you run fast, the more it hurts. So, yesterday, I decided to run some speedy treadmill intervals one minute at a time, because hey, you can do anything for a minute, right? This is what it looked like:
I did two sets in a row, running 4.75 miles in 40 minutes and finishing up the quarter miles for kicks at whatever pace I felt like. While 5 miles on the treadmill is usually boring as hell, this time it flew by. And, as I suspected, speding one minute at a time at each pace wasn't mentally devastating. Those 7:30 pace minutes felt a little rough the second time through, but overall I felt pretty strong.
Lastly, in case anyone is curious, I've already lined up my fall race schedule. Most resgistrations are opening within the next month, so as much as I'd just like to think about warmer weather and spring, you snooze and you lose with race registrations!
September 8 - Lehigh Valley Marathon - A flat, fast, potentially PR-friendly race that's also only an hour away from me. Sold.
October 27 - Marine Corps Marathon - Registration doesn't open until later this month and it sells out in hours, but if I can get in I hear this is one of the best races in the country.
November 17 - Philadelphia Marathon - A great race, right outside my doorstep, and also where I ran my first marathon.
What's on your fall race schedule?
i WISH my body could handle marathons that close together, but sadly it just can't. can't wait to follow along as you run them though!
ReplyDeleteI totally know how you feel! I can't believe I used to be so fast in high school and early college, but I love my nice and slow ultra speed now. I need to start incorporating more speed into my marathon training as I, too, am close-ish to a BQ time.
ReplyDeleteI love MCM, but can't make it this year. I'm considering doing Richmond and Philly in the same weekend, but either way, I won't miss Philly; love it far too much!
Oh I would love to run back-to-back marathons in the same weekend! But I think I need a few more years to work up to that :)
DeleteGetting faster was my original goal for this year too. It hasn't happened yet since running and I aren't really great friends right now but I think the urge is coming back. I think I know several people who have done the Lehigh Valley one.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of running at a fast speed for just a minute at a time. It's a great way to start building up your comfort at higher speeds. Good luck on your marathons this fall, I'll be rooting for you!
ReplyDeleteKeep me posted on MCM. I'll be living in DC by then, so if you get in, I'll go cheer!
ReplyDeleteI am so with you, give me 50 slow miles any day! And yet I also want to be speedy. That treadmill workout sounds great, I may steal it. Shouldn't the Delaware marathon be listed? :)
ReplyDeletePS I ran MCM in 2011 - if you have any questions about it let me know!