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Boston Bound
It has been awhile since my last update from Chicago, but figured it is time to inform you all about what has happened since then and the future to come. After Chicago I took the standard 2 week down time to recover before I started to train again, something that has taken some time to get use to do but is really worth it in the long run both physically and mentally. I started back up training slowly with no specific race in mind but to get ready for something in the spring. The big difference for me is that this will be the first winter in 4 years that I will actually do workouts instead of just mileage since I am no longer coaching swimming. As the last month of the year came towards the end I was given the opportunity to run in the Emerald Nuts New Years race in Central Park New York. Something that is an experience and well worth it if you ever get the opportunity to do in the future. The race starts at midnight as the ball drops and is a 4 mile race around central park with fireworks going off above you the whole time. Not knowing where I was at in my training at that point I was happy with the performance I ran in a time of 21:03. After that race I decided to join the girlfriend in Naples Fl in 2 weeks to run the Naples Half Marathon. Going into the race I had gotten in a couple more workouts and thought there was a chance for me to pr in the race. I ended up not getting a pr but was able to come within 10 seconds and was very happy with the result. Before I headed down to Naples I had decided that I would once again run a spring marathon this year, but return to a race that last time I had great results with. So I have decided to run Boston this spring for the first time in 6 years. This week marks 10 weeks to go and like most of the rest of the country the temps are cold and snow piles up here in Detroit. The goal at Boston is to try and get under 2:24 and place as high as possible. I have gotten 2 weeks in since down time here to build up before workouts start this week, and now it is time to put all the hard work in and look forward to the big race on April 18. Like in the past I will give you updates as to how the training is going and tips to use in your own training. Best of luck to all this spring and especially those headed to Boston.
Victory
So it finally happened after 4 years of training and racing a new PR for me in the marathon. Sunday was the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and though the conditions were not ideal, I was able to do something that has been long in the making a new PR. I finished up in 2:26:21, almost a min and a half faster than I had run before. Sunday morning as I walked to the tent to put my stuff down to warm up, I knew that it was finally my day. From the time I walked out of the tent to warm up till the finish line all I could do was think positive and dream big with a huge smile on my face. I put on the ipod and zoned out as I got ready to race and focused on the big goal ahead of me that morning. Once we got to the starting line it was time to go. I missed the first mile some how and thought man I feel like I am walking here, but lets just go with it and see what 2 miles bring. 10:49 as I crossed the 2 mile mark yikes wow that’s not what I had planned I was suppose to be 11:04, so I slowed it down and regrouped over the next few miles. The whole time telling myself its ok we can do this, but we can not have those fast miles any more. Over the next few miles I started hitting pace and rolling right along, and made the turn back towards the city at mile 7 feeling good. The next 6 miles were still in the city before we headed west, and I knew these would be important ones, but at the same time you need to make sure the crowd does get you going to fast. Half way 1:12:15 a few seconds fast but were feeling good now it time to get serious. Over the next 2 miles the group I was with fell a part and there I was alone for the next 11-12 miles. As we came through 15 miles things were looking good and people were now coming back to me fast, this is where the race begins. So I started to dig down and see how many people I could pick off each mile, well lets say that was a great idea, because from 15 on there ended up only being 2 people to pass me over those next 11 miles. As I hit mile 20 still I pace I knew that it was going to happen today. When I crossed the highway and hit mile 23 one of my buddies was there yelling to me to dig deep and keep going a mile latter I saw him again and he said there is 10 people you can catch over the next 2 miles go get them. I got 9 out of 10 not bad I thought as I crossed the finish line in 2:26:21. Though the 2nd half was slower for me and more importantly the last 4 miles I lost a minute and I would still run the race the same way. Some things that made the difference for me was 1. a pre run of the course a month before, 2. fluids and mean lots of fluids, 3. a positive attitude. I had mention in a previous blog before how important it is to view the course beforehand, and it paid off on Sunday, just to know where I was and what was to come ahead kept me moving. Fluids, another huge part of a great race, it wasn’t idea race temps but if you took in fluids you were able to do great. I don’t think there was more than 2 water stops along the course that I didn’t take in any fluids and that even includes taking eater and dumping it over my head. Lastly having a positive attitude the whole time help me achieve my goal by never getting down on myself. In the end it was a great day and a great way to end a training block. I look forward to the next 2 weeks of down time before I start back up again. To everyone else out there dream big have fun and go for it.
Race Time
As I write this I am sitting on the train an hour out of Chicago meaning one thing race day is now here. The last few months of training are comming here to a end for that big race the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Mu training has had its ups and downs but over the last part its been on the up and keeps getting better. The first few weeks of training I questioned myself if I was up for the race the way I felt and workouts were going, but how quickly that can change when just one workout goes good. Since I last posted we had 2 more key workouts to the segment the always dreaded 2x6 and the final big one the 8 mile tempo with 4 faster than race pace. 2x6 was probably the best workout of thd segment for me and really told me I was ready to go when on thd last one I started running the last 3 miles 10secs a mile faster. The better feeling is when you finish up and your coach says they have never seen you fitter before, a nice confident boost. The 8 mile tempo went good but nothing like but the last one but it to told me it was time to roll. Over the last week here I have had just a couple small things to keep the legs feeling good otherwise it was time to save up and rest. Now were under 48hrs to go to the race and everything is done and ready to go. The weather looks good though I would like it to be a little cooler but that's out of my hands. As I rest tomorrow and go over some final thoughts about the race I will think about how far I have come and there is no reason to leave anything on the table here. For those who want to track me I am number 499 and will be wearing a yellow brooks jersey with PowerBar logos on it. When we report back after the race it will be a new PR and time to relax before we go at it again. For everyone else racing Chicago best of luck out there and remember to stay postive. Thanks to PowerBar for all the support here and great products to help us all achieve one goal to be great at what ever we do.Ryan
Simulator
“Simulator” That is all I have to say for last week, one of the 2 key workouts of marathon training for me. The simulator is exactly what you think it is, it simulates the marathon race, everything from the course to fluids and pace. It is one of the staple workouts of the marathon cycle and getting through is always a good feeling. It is a 26.2k workout at race pace, where we you do not get any extra rest leading up to it. For me the workout went as planed and gave me more confidence as we move closer to the actual race date. We did the workout on Sunday morning when the temps were perfect to run, with not to much humidity and wind, which made it feel that much better compared to weeks past. During the course of the simulator we had 3 fluid stations where I took in 8oz of Powerbar Ironman Endurance at each stop. The key to this workout is for you to do everything that you would do on race day just at a shorter distance. As the workout went on, I kept mentally talking myself through each K one by one not allowing myself to get districted and think about whats to come. In the later stage of the workout I was able to pick up the pace and run the last bit faster than race pace, which is always a good sign and gave me the confidence for the later stages of the race when your going to need it. Overall I was very happy with the way the workout went and ended up finishing faster than I was suppose to for the 26.2k simulator. Earlier in the week I had another solid workout of 3x3 at 10secs faster a mile than marathon pace that went great. So as we are getting closer to the date it keeps getting brighter. One of the things that I do to help me stay focus during these long workouts is get a song in my a head that morning, something a little up beat, so that when things start to get tough, I start playing it in my head to ease my mind off the pain. For me my best bet is a Dave Matthews song, with that being said one of my favorites is Two Step, or Watch Tower, and both always seem to get me in that grove and rolling. In the up coming weeks I will search for a new song here for the up coming big day and use that as another way to focus in the later stages of the race and help me reach for my goal. Down to 4 weeks now and almost all the work is done time to stay focused and get ready here for the final month to go.
Halfway Home
Were to the half way point now 5 weeks done and 5 weeks to go till Chicago. The last week brought some more good workouts and trip to Chicago for a course tour. The week brought another good week of mileage of a solid 120 miles again nothing to crazy, but where things should be at this point, just enough to start to wear you down. The week had 2 workouts plus a long run so a little more than usual. The beginning of the week gave you a little speed session with some K’s on the track, followed by a long workout of 5x2miles back at Stoney. The nice part about the track workout was it went by fast, but gave you a chance to get the legs going again and feel fast, something that is strange to come by in marathon training. The second workout was 5x2 though the intervals weren’t long it was long by the number of repeats compared to so many other workouts we do that are around 3. Both workouts went good, and were faster than usual so things are coming around as we start to approach the race. At the end of the week we got to spend some time in Chicago for a couple days and do a course preview, something I highly recommend and comes to help out at the later stage of the race. We spent the first day running the miles 1-12 of the course in the morning, and then in the afternoon we ran the last 4. For the second day we drove out to the 6mile mark on the course and ran from there the last 20 miles. Though this will be my 6th Chicago Marathon, doing a course preview always helps, and allows you to visualize the race beforehand so when things get tough in the race you are able to dig down and get after it. In the weeks to come since seeing the course I will spend time each week visualizing the race, going over it in my head at nights and on the daily runs, so when Oct 10 comes I am ready to go. Every week I have talked about being hydrated, but with the temps and humidity being so high last week I can’t stress how important it is. During race day I will take in fluids before the race and then try to take in 8oz every 5k throughout the race to stay hydrated, and in workouts I try to simulate the same thing as close as possible. Without the proper fluids your body shuts down and is not able to perform at its peak, and days when it is hot out it is even more important to keep the fluids in you. My drink of choice is the new Powerbar Ironman Perform drink and for the last parts of the workouts/races I will add a splash of Red Bull to it for the extra caffeine kick. So were now halfway home and things have gotten much better since marathon training started, now its time to build from here and look forward to the weeks ahead and their big workouts. My advice for all of you getting ready for a fall marathon, study the course and make sure you practice taking your fluids during your long runs and workouts in the up coming weeks. Best of luck
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Michigan, United States
Running, Athletes/Active Lifestyle
Marathon Runner
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