NYC Marathon Take 2!

Here is my training schedule for this year's marathon


Some things:

I'm vagabonding it this year. Even though I did enough qualifying races, I missed the registration deadline to take advantage of that (yes, I'm a dumbass). So I'll just show up and run the route. There's really nothing stopping you. I might even still get a medal at the end.

I put in more aggressive paramters from my training last year (I lied to the system, sayng I've been running 16-20 miles a week when I've been really sleeping a lot and not exercising).

Changes from last year:
I remember how how my legs gave out last year so, besides running harder I'm going to:

I am going to run 3 times a week instead of 2 like last year. The third workout will start as easy runs, but eventually include a lot of drills and hill repeats.

I'm really going to do strength training (legs, core and abs) weekly.

Concerns:
Last year, I gave myself 12 weeks to train, this year only 10. But, a month ago I was in very good shape (for the triathlon) so even though I've been chilling last month, I think I should still have a decent base. Oh well, we'll see what happens.

Marathon Training (last one!)

Ryan Shay (r) at the 2002 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championship

I'll start this by offering my condolences to the friends and family of Ryan Shay who died this morning while running the Olympic Marathon Trials in Central Park. I woke up early to watch the Olympic Marathon trials in Central Park to get some inspiration for tomorrow's NYC Marathon. I'm always awed watching the mechanics and focus of the elite runners. I got to the race at about 9:30 and cheered for the runners before heading over to Javits Center to pick up my registration for tomorrow. I didn't find out until later that afternoon what had happened. I'm not sure how I feel about it, I'm not worried for myself running tomorrow, it's a freak incident that you can't dwell on, especially if you've been taking care of yourself. I think it's the fact that he died literally in the thick of pursuing his dream while probably at, or near, the peak of his ability as a runner. On one hand, for a competitive athlete, it may be the ultimate way to go out, but on the other hand I can't help but think of all the lost potential and what could have been for him.

Rest in peace Ryan, we'll all be thinking of you while we're running tomorrow.

Now, the final two work outs of the workout schedule I started way back in August. Looking back at my original schedule, I am really proud of having stuck to it. I've done every work out on the schedule plus countless dance classes and I know I am prepared for tomorrow.

November 1, 2007
Tempo run
1 mile warm up 86th St and Lexington Ave to 103rd and 5th Ave

3.2 miles (I ran it in 27:13)
From 103 and 5 to the finish of the NYC Marathon at Tavern on the Green

Half mile cool down
Total mileage
4.5 miles

Comments:
It was really exciting to run in the park and see the fencing out in the final mile, the bleachers and the finish line at Tavern on the Green. The finish is going to be tough, hopefully adrenaline will pull me through.

November 2, 2007
2-mile easy run

NYC Marathon

My friend forwarded me a pretty cool spreadsheet that calculates (roughly) what time you'll cross each marker at the NYC marathon based on your bib number and your expected time of finish. My times are below. if you want to download the whole spreadsheet, you can get it here.

Marathon Training

October 30, 2007
2 miles easy run
19:53

October 28, 2007
5 miles
58:52
11:46 per mile

Did the Poland Spring 5-mile kick off. Was supposed to do 8 miles total, but some late night partying did me in...

October 25, 2007
2-mile warm up to Astoria Park

Was supposed to do 3 miles at 8:59
Actual splits:
1 8:18
2 8:28
3 8:06

1-mile cool down

Total: 6 miles

Marathon Training

Marathon Training October 18, 2007
Because I was heading out of town early Thursday morning, I did my tempo workout early Thursday instead of in the evening.

I was supposed to do seven miles, one mile warm up, five miles at 8:53/mile and one mile cool down. I ended up doing a one mile warm up and only four miles in
43:16, a pretty miserable pace. But I had gone to Djoniba's dance class the night before which killed my legs, so I think I deserve a mulligan for that workout.

Marathon Training October 21, 2007

My final endurance run!

I ran 18 miles in Central Park (3 loops all heading north from the 72nd St east side entrance) in 3:14:05 which comes to 10:47 (rounded) per mile. My work out calendar said my pace should have been 10:17 per mile but Central Park has a number of hills that the training calculator doesn't take into account. I felt great and from here on out, it's time to taper until November 4th!

Marathon Training

Supposed to do a long run of 16 miles at a 10:14 pace. I got to the Staten Island Half Marathon early and ran three miles in roughly an 10:30-11:00/mile pace. Then I did the actual half marathon (13.1 miles) in 2:09:21 for a 9:52 pace.

Here is the actual result:


Comments:
I felt very very good during today's run. I didn't push myself too hard and gradually descended my splits (roughly 10:30-11 for the first 5, down closer to 10 for the next 5, then 9 for the final three 3 miles). Next week's long run peaks at 18 (yikes) then I begin to taper.

Marathon Training

Did a speed workout last night.

1 mile warm up to Astoria Park Track

Supposed to do 4 miles at an 8:14 pace followed by half mile jogs. Actual splits:

1mile 7:50
half mile jog
1mile 7:51
half mile jog
1 mile 7:40
half mile jog
1 mile 7:26
half mile jog

1 mile cool down jog

Total: 8 miles

Comments: I felt very good and was surprised how easy it was to do what was for me fast splits. Next up, Staten Island Half Marathon, a key tune-up run for the NYC Marathon.

Marathon Training

10 miles in Central Park, time about 2 hours.

I experienced the first major setback of my training so far. My workout schedule called for 14 miles at 10:23 but my legs gave out at 10 miles and I had only been going at an 11:00+ pace. I hope this was just a temporary setback and hopefully it happened because I did a tempo run on Friday night instead of Thursday like I usually do.

Marathon Training

Tempo Run

1 mile warm up, jog to Astoria Park Track

5 miles at 8:59 pace
Actual total time
42:11 for an 8:26:2 pace per mile

1 mile cool down (jog/walk home)

Total miles: 7

Comments
I did this work out after a big dinner at Saravanaas so it was pretty unpleasant (the workout, the food was great, the service not so much). I felt nauseous during miles three to four.

Marathon Training

Ran 15 miles at the NYC Marathon Tune-Up Run today in 2:21:08 which comes out to 9:25 per mile. The race was 18, but I'm only up to 15 so I just walked the last three.

Comments:
I'm in pretty scary territory now that my long runs are getting into the upper teens. I felt great in the first six, but I started to feel serious pain in towards the end of the second six and was able to muscle out the final 3 miles to get to 15. I don't know if I could have made it to 18 and I sure as hell don't know where I'm going to pull the final 11.2 miles from.

Marathon Training

Tempo run

2 miles to Astoria Park Track

4 miles at 8:54 pace
My actual splits:
8:34
8:42
8:37
8:14

1 mile cool down (shuffle/jog/walk) back home

Total: 7 miles
Comments:
My legs and back were aching more than any tempo run (back from dance classes and legs from the Queens half on Sunday), I think I might be reaching the part of my training where my body aches more and I’m going to have to suck it up. Given that, I was glad my splits were all on target, its probably going to take more mental strength to maintain that (I really wanted to stop after the first mile).

Time to get ready for Jillian’s wedding.

Marathon Training

Did the Queens Half marathon today. 13.1 miles in about 2:10 (I didn't look at the clock when I crossed the finish line).

Marathon Training

Ran 7 miles Thursday morning, easy run. This Sunday, Queens Half.

Marathon Training

Tagged along with the Team in Training workout in Central Park, just did some hill work, nothing crazy, but it was a good workout.

Marathon Training

Did 11 miles this morning at the NYRR long training run. I ran with the 10 minute/mile group. My legs were on fire at the end, I went to Djoniba's class on Wed and Fri and had my speed workout Thursday.

Marathon Training

Speed workout

2 miles warm up to Astoria Park track

1 mile at 8:06
800 meters jog
1 mile at 7:57
800 meter jog
1 mile at 7:25

1 mile cool down

total workout: 7 miles

Marathon Training

Schedule called for 9 miles in 10:29.

I did 9 miles in Central Park in 1:27:45 which comes out to 9:45 a mile. I'm a little concerned that I'm running this far below what my splits are supposed to be, but I'm not running harder than what a long run pace should be (conversation pace). At first I thought that maybe that the times were going to get much faster later in the schedule, but they don't. I may be pushing myself too hard or the runners world training calculator grossly underestimated what I'm capable of (haha).

Marathon Training

I experienced the first hitch in my training schedule, I skipped my workout yesterday (too tired after a long day at work), but made it up tonight:

Tempo run 7 miles total

2-mile warm up

4 miles at an 8:59 pace

My actual splits were:
1 in 9:01
1 in 8:38
1 in 8:48
1 in 8:21

1 mile cool down.

To be honest, the cool down was a mix of walking and jogging, actually running the cool down is getting harder and harder after my tempo runs, but I figure its still part of my mileage so I gotta work that out.

Marathon Training

Did my long run today, was supposed to do 8 miles at 10:29 but I didn't have a timer but I did do 8 miles in Central Park this morning.

NYC Marathon Training

Tempo run:

2-mile warm up to Astoria Park Track

Supposed to do 3 miles at an 8:59 pace and did:

1 at 8:59
1 at 8:38
1 at 8:18

1-mile cool down (shuffle) back to my apartment.

Total: 6 miles