Training on Faith

It's been awhile since I last blogged.  Blogging in not real high on my to-do list.  Occasionally though I feel like writing if for no other reason than I have an hour to kill before I pick Ella up from school.  Today is the first day of yearbook committee for her.

My last blog was titled "Running Alot".  I have kept that theme throughout 2012.  This summer I put in good miles and included a run across the Grand Canyon in June and the San Francisco marathon in late July.  I recommend both if you have the opportunity.

After a few light weeks post San Fran, I cranked the training back up the week of August 20th with 78 miles.  From 8/27 til present, I have had a 6 week stretch of 80+ weeks (89, 89, 100, 83, 104, 83).  In September I logged 404 miles.  I fought thru some painful runs with back and knee issues, but I have been able to manage the injuries with special thanks to Mark Kane who takes awesome care of me as my PT guy.

My running log is always available at:  http://www.runningahead.com/logs/996382c6d2194ae091a0a3b4addd049e
Quick plug for RunningAhead.com as it is a terrific online running log.

As a coach, I preach consistency and building strength week in and week.  I practice what I preach.  Fortunately, I have been able to find a good work/family/running balance that has allowed me to post these big numbers and still find time to recover.  Really for most of 2011 and all of 2012, I have been building, building, building each week and month.  No big breakthrough events, key workouts or races.  Just solid and consistent training over and over and over. I have taken good care of my body with proper nutrition and rest which has helped me keep this training regimen going.

So why the heck am I blogging?  Because I find myself in new territory for the first time in my 28 years of running.  I have limited idea of what kind of shape I am in.  I made a decision this training cycle to not repeat what I have done for 11 previous marathons. I have a history of working very hard in intervals and not doing enough tempos.  It really is a function of what I enjoy and am good at.  I LOVE getting on the track and cranking out 400s or doing mile repeats.  I just feel fast with any type of shorter intervals.  Longer tempos are boring to me and frankly, I suck at them!

I usually do a few races during a marathon cycle to sharpen my racing skills and to get some satisfaction and return on investment for all the training I have done.  I recommend this and build it into the schedules of the athletes I coach.

This training block, I put all my emphasis into marathon specific training.  I have done this by keeping my mileage consistently high, implementing more doubles, and entering the majority of my workouts tired.  I have also completed more tempos and intervals of longer distances. I have not raced this cycle.  As a result, I have no good measures to past performance. No races to measure against.  No comparable workouts to compare against.  It kind of sucks because I love to race and challenge myself yet I have kept to my training plan which is focused exclusively on preparing me for a good marathon.

I have had days where I can barely hold an 8 min pace on a recovery run and workouts where I have been fighting to even stay at my marathon pace.  With 2.5 weeks until my target marathon, Marine Corps Marathon, all I have is faith that what all the miles and training my body to run well when I am tired is will have me prepared to run well at the marathon distance.

My legs and body are exhausted however, that is about where a marathoner should be with 3 weeks to go.  From here on out, I have a few more hard efforts but mainly, it is time to rest and start feeling like I am fresh again.  This is a period of the training I can't stand as I am supposed to do less.  I get very anxious waiting for my body to feel good to go.  But, because I put in so much volume, it is critical to the plan that I get the spring back in my legs.

Have I prepared well enough?  MCM will tell me that for sure.  I am satisfied that I did not repeat the same marathon training cycle that has gotten me far but seemed to peek me out around the low 2.40s. The marathon has so many variables that add up to whether you have a successful day so I can't guarantee anything.  More to follow Sunday Oct 28th.