3, 2, 1... Failure to Launch

With less than 3 weeks until the Cleveland Marathon, I'm feeling the need to work in some high-intensity workouts so as to gauge my overall level of fitness. I need a measuring stick in order to plan my race day strategy. Last year, I used a half marathon 2 weeks before Cleveland as a gauge and I may have the opportunity to do the same this year, dependent on the weather on Saturday. Just in case, I planned a full 3-2-1 run this morning, which works out to 12 miles total, 6 of them done at 6 min/mile pace (3 slow, 3 fast, 2 slow, 2 fast, 1 slow, 1 fast). I was nervous and actually carb loaded last night thinking that might help. I also brought along a vanilla Power Gel.

The heart of the workout is without question the first 3 miles done at 6 minute pace following an easy 3 mile warm-up. I hit all 3 miles in 5:59 but felt completely drained afterward. I walked for a few minutes feeling slightly dizzy and nauseous. I slowly took down the gel with water and eventually started running again. By the end of my 8th mile I was feeling slightly better but had a side stitch that wouldn't go away. I started into a fast miles 9 and 10 and bailed about half way through, succumbing to the side stitch. I normally would fight through something like this, but not during a Tuesday morning traning run. I was happy to have done what worked out to an intense 9-mile tempo run. Plus I had a few extra minutes to strength train.

Step 2: Reserve Hotel

The gears are in motion for my return to Boston in 2009. Today I sent out a deposit for a room at the Marriott Copley, which is 0.15 miles from the finish area and within walking distance to both Copley Square (bus loading) and Hynes Convention Center (Expo). As of today, I will use my 3:01 from Akron this past fall as my qualifier, which should land me a good starting chute ahead of the traffic jam that starts to build at chutes 4-5. I'll aim to better my Boston PR of 3:05 back in 2006. It's such a tough course but I've analyzed a number of strategies employed by recent sub-3-hour Boston finishers and think I have it down to a science.

Congratulations to everyone who ran this past Monday!

22 Long and Slow Ones

Having twin newborns turn into twin infants with the thought of twin toddlers has done a number on my mental state when it comes to running. I ran 22 miles yesterday not even thinking about the distance. I was conscious of the time but the miles flew by and I took no notice of any discomfort. Helping keep my mind occupied was the company I ran with, three others (all parents) who were happy to listen to my stories and share their experiences in return. Runnnig took a backseat to the conversations at hand. It was as if we were in a coffee shop chatting away for hours, except we weren't in a coffee shop. We were running 8 minute 30 second miles in a light, yet comfortable rain. Ultimately what this means is that my training runs will be a lot less mentally gruelling. I'm curious as to how marathon day will play out from a mental standpoint. The thought of seeing Teresa and the boys on the course may bring me to a new level of comfort that I've yet to experience.

With faces like these, who wouldn't be inspired?

Talkin' Tempo

I stole a tempo workout from Runner's World in an effort to add a little spice to the monotony of running around an indoor track. This one called for 9-minutes easy x 1-minute hard, 8x2, 7x3, 8x2, and 9x1, for a total of 50-minutes. Turned out to be a pretty good workout, probably 7 miles total with 1.5 done at sub 6-minute pace.

I ran for the first time in my new Saucony Grid Fastwitch 3's that I picked up over the weekend along with a pair of triathlon specific shoes from Zoot.

The Bottles Are Ready

I couldn't pass on taking this picture...

The bottles are ready

Hump Day

I woke up at 3:30 this morning, not to cries of hunger from one of the babies, but to complete silence. It took me a minute to realize that yes, I was actually awake and no, I was not in a time warp. Some quick math and I realized the babies had been asleep for 7.5 hours! Caden woke up shortly thereafter followed a minute or two later by Cole (you'd think they were twins or something ; ). My workout this morning consisted of two warmup miles at 7:30 pace, one mile at 5:55, two miles at 7:30 and a final 5:51 mile. I should be getting my new shoes soon. Saucony Grid Fastwitch 3. I loved the 1's and the 2's, and am dying to get my hands on the latest and greatest.