I tell my friends that my plan for qualifying for Boston is not to improve my pace, but to maintain it for the next 33 years…

After Myrtle Beach, I’ll take a break. Wait, the week after that, I’m running the Mount Mitchell challenge (40 miles). After THAT, I’ll take a break.

If I don’t BQ at Myrtle, my next attempt will include the proper training regimen.

I promise.

- D

Great race report. As I mentioned yesterday, I too expect that you will continue to see PR’s by large chunks. Based on my recent experience at Kiawah, I would also agree with Kestrou about the base mileage.

I remember many years ago (OK – many, many years ago) reading an article with Joan Benoit where she described a marathon as a 10 mile social run, followed by a 10 mile hard training run and then a 10K race.

I never comprehended how any could race the last 10K until Kiawah this year, where I was forutnate enough to have a really good day. No fade – I was able to pick it up in the final miles. I ran negative splits for the first time ever, and most of my improvement over my prior PR (about 5 mintues worth) came in the last 10K.

Now, lest this sound like mere self promotion, I am not what anyone would call a naturally talented runner. What I’d point to as the reason for my relative success is that I discovered Greg McMillan’s website, which prompted me to train differently for Kiawah than my previous attempts in two ways:

First, I increased my peak weekly mileage from the mid-50’s to the mid 70’s. 70+ mile weeks sounded like a lot when I first looked at my training plan, but I found that once I got into a routine it did not require much more time or commitment than 50 mile weeks.

Second, I ran alot more of the total mileage at marathon pace or slightly faster. In particular, I really focused on what Greg McMillan calls the “fast finish” long run. I did four of those, and in many ways they were harder than the marathon itself. As for speedwork, I put aside the novel concept of Yasso 800’s and focused more on 1000m to 2 mile repeats.

(Note: Out of curiosity, I did do the 10 x 800 Yasso test 11 days before the marathon just to see where it put me. Using McMillan’s estimate that you need to add about 5 minutes to what the Yasso 800’s predict, I was right on.)

Anyway, sorry to blab so much, but I get really stoked by seeing folks share their traning/racing experiences. We all have different perspectives, paces and reasons for being out there, but I learn something new and helpful from every runner I meet.

Yes, Flatness is a matter of perception. Maybe I’m just a weak girlie man, a mere flabby baby.

I may be wrong to be preoccupied with flatness. But I’m not wrong about you. You are strong.

- D

Who was that old imposter that you listed as me finishing?
The years certainly haven’t been kind to him!

What a GREAT marathon! get it on your schedule for next year eveyone.

BobS

Thanks for the inspiration.

If all goes well (knocking on faux wood desk), I shall see you in Hopkinton.

- D

My next “real marathon” is four months away (yup, Boston) and I’m running 60ish miles per week right now to have a big base. I have some other races in between (Disney half and full marathon and a pair of ultras) that are all components of getting that weekly mileage base to 70, and then will then keep it there for a couple of months while I then add some serious speedwork.

Jason – I keep telling myself that someday I won’t be a hardcore runner either, that I’ll just take it easy and enjoy running – but what I enjoy is the training and piling up the miles. Yes, it’s a different mindset than the average person…

kestrou

Thanks for your confidence in me. I often (read: mostly) feel very “soft core.”

- D

Roughly, here it was:

- Started on pace. (7:20)

- Freaked out.

- Slowed down on purpose (7:30 – 7:40)

- Gradually moved back to pace.

- By mile 6 I was on pace.

- Stayed on pace or roughly there through mile 15.

- Miles 15-19 were dead on (7:20)

- Mile 20 was a (7:15)

- Mile 21 was back on pace (7:24)

- Mile 22-23 were slower (dang hill at 21.5). Not too bad, – but slow enough to ruin my chance at 7:15. I was on the knife’s edge.

- Miles 24-26 were probably about 8:10ish. I’ll have to check. If 3:15 were on the line in these miles, I think I could have pushed harder.

- Final .2 was spry. I picked it up to finish with dignity.

Thoughts? Did I start too slow (paranoid I was going to crash later)?

- Dean

I know that’s quite a “personal level of disclosure” – but that’s what tells another runner the true tale of the race.

We’ve all had those races where we’ve had “time in the bank” at mile 18 or 20, and then the withdrawals from that earlier deposit start getting made – with interest accrued! – and we struggle to end with a positive balance on the account.

That, to me, is what racing is about – the struggle to maintain that pace WHEN IT HURTS!

Sure, I appreciate courses layouts inspired by an alcoholic hog on a truffle hunt – but details about the expo and shirt aren’t what keep me on the edge of my seat.

That’s this runner’s opinion – and glad to hear you take inspiration to continue from the gains you’ve made.

Took me four marathons to qualify, once I got serious – set four PRs in a row (with #3 being a miss by one minute and nine seconds) before I made it – and you will too.

Regards,

kestrou