(Recently, when I have thought to update this blog, the thought following that one has been: “If I have time for this, I should probably get my act together on that story I am working on for Charlie, instead.” The latest one was a profile of Christo Landry. I look forward to sharing it here.)
***
Looking through the logs I’ve posted below, thinking about it all in the context of 2014, the Boston Marathon feels like it happened so, so long ago.
That was a very disappointing race that capped a trio of tough marathons. I look back on those races – Boston, Twin Cities, Boston – and recall mistakes I made in training, mistakes I made in the races themselves, external factors that were out of my control … But I'm also trying to let all of that go now. I'm accepting that those races just weren't my days.
The mystique of the marathon, in a lot of ways, is what I both love and can’t stand about it. I love how complex it is – the way, for example, my friends Teal and Breezy write about it. (I love even more how they race them.)
But also, truthfully – repeating myself here – I cannot stand that complexity. Because, really, it’s so simple: in the sense that there is no universal program – in my opinion – that will lead to success for everyone (particularly, I think, for working professionals). There is only the program that will work for you. You just have to figure out what that program is. (Right - I know - it's not simple at all, as it turns out.)
The sort-of driving thought behind my running right now, though, is that the specific training for the race - for me, I am saying - is much less important than the larger training picture: the building blocks.
Strength and speed. Most runners tend to have one more than the other. I have less speed. On one hand, sure, races at half marathon and below are radically different than racing the marathon. I think, though, if I'm going into a marathon cycle, unable, say, to regularly break 16 minutes for 5k, aren't I really just adding whip cream on top of horseshit?
The above paragraph does not apply, it seems, to many marathon specialists. But I do think the "data" reveals it applies to me. You look at my two best years in marathoning, 2006 and 2009 -- I am aware, by the way, that it is now the year 2015 -- those followed years in which my speed was optimized, or close to optimized. In 2006, I was coming off four years of anaerobic-intensive training (college), and a season in which I lowered my 5,000 personal best to 15:13. In 2009, I ran my second-fastest marathon on the heels of breaking 16 in a summer 5k and running a new personal best in the half marathon.
After Boston, I hit the reset button and tried to go back to the beginning. I ran some summer mile races, which were equal parts fun and frustrating but served the larger goal of improving my efficiency running at faster speeds. I started breaking 16 for 5k again. I ran a couple five-milers under 26 minutes (something I had never done, only splitting it in a 10k.)
One of my favorite parts of the second half of the year was bumping into my college coach at cross country meets - from Gettysburg's home invitational to Lehigh's Paul Short. He even made it out to Clubs, where I not only had him, but my parents, and my wife's parents, all supporting me - and proud of me, even though I of course got completely crushed.
One of my favorite athletes is Andre Agassi. Not because of the commercials, the style. (To be clear, the inspiration for the trucker hat comes from the way my dad, and many others, used to dress for running and racing during the early days of the "boom" ... and Levon Helm.) But the way Agassi would climb out from rock-bottom, getting his confidence back at small-time tournaments, and rise all the way back to the top of the sport.
I'll never reach the top of the sport. But I do believe I can again reach the top of my game.
***
Nov. 24-30
M - 6
T - 5, 7
W - 9
Th - 10 - Nazareth Run for the Pie 5k in Nazareth, Pa, 5th, 15:56 (39 seconds faster than last year)
F - 10
S - 10
11 - 11 - Pre-Club Cross Country National XC, 6k - 7th, 20:00
Total - 68
Dec. 1 - 7
M - 5.5
T - 7
W - 5, 7 - PM - Rough workout. Caught a cold. 3 by 1600 in 4:54, 4:55, 4:59, 1 by 800 in 2:29
Th - 7.5
F - 10
S - 10.5 - Cell Tower workout: 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 + 4 strides
S -12.5
Total - 65
Dec. 8-14
M - off
T - 9.5
W - 9 - 6 by 1:45
Th - 8
F - 5
S - 10, Club Cross Country Nationals 10k, 33:48, 332nd
S - 6
Total - 47.5
Dec. 15-21
M - 7, 4
T - 10, 4
W - 10
Th - 9, 5 - PM Beer Mile, 9:59
F - 9
S - 10
S - 15.5
Total - 83.5
Dec. 22-28
M - 8
T - 10
W - 10
Th - 10
F - 12
S - 10
S - 15, in NJ, Manasquan Reservoir, 22 by 1 min on/off
Total - 75
Dec. 29-Jan. 4
M - 10
T - 10
W - 10
Th - 10, at Lafayette football stadium. 6 by ~300; 20 diagonals on field, jogging end zone
F - 10
S - 10
S - 15, + 20 by 1 min on/off
Total -75
Jan. 5-11
M - off
T - 8, 4,5
W - 5, 9 - 30-min progression on treadmill: started at 6:00, accelerated every quarter mile, ended at 4:56; 5.5 miles during the segment.
Th - 9
F - 10
S - 12 - 8 mile tempo in Rock Creek Park. 5:36 average.
S - 13.5 from Sycamore Landing. Road loop.
Total - 70
January 12-18
M - 5
T - 10
W - 5, 8 - Treadmill. Did 6 by 3 minutes, progressing from 6 flat to 5 flat during each rep, pushing up pace every like 30 seconds.
Th - 8
F - 9.5
S - 9 - Terrapin Invitational: 15:49, 6th. 9:55 through 3200. Faded.
S - 10. Cold and rainy. Emily and I moved our long runs to Monday holiday.
Total - 64.5
January 19-25
M - 14
T - 6
W - 5, 11 - Bethesda Tunnel - 5 times 4 by 300+. 2.5 min rest between sets, 45 sec between reps
Th - 8
F - 11.5
S - 10
S - 17
Total - 82.5
January 26 - Feb. 1
M - 5
T - 10
W - 8, 9 - Bethesda Tunnel - 3 times 4 by ~600 (out and back). 4 min rest between sets, 45 seconds between reps.
Th - 8, 5
F - 12
S - 11 - Track: 3200 in 10:15, 3 by 800 in 2:23-25; 2 by 400 in 67-68
S - 19
Total - 87
