Boston Marathon 2012

Its not everyone that gets to run a Boston Marathon, so i consider myself lucky. Even if the conditions on the day meant i failed to hit my target goal. However despite that my Boston 2012 was the best run marathon Ive done, I still came away with a shiny new PB, and an overall result that id only dreamed about.

Boston Build Up - Week 9 & 10

Week 9 of My Boston Buildup was dominated by recovering and seeing off a cold that id been dealing with for a few weeks. Followed up with the long run being replaced by the first of my evaluation runs.

Because of the Illness i kept my long runs short, I didnt go over 17km at all that week. However I did still do all of my runs. Which had the added benifit of helping me to see off the two niggles that had been plagueing me for a while, the right hip, and my left knee.

The Evaluation race i did didnt turn out as good as id hopped, Still a PB but way off what id hopped to achieve. I think it reflects the lack of speed work ive done so far. Ill be assessing the evaluation runs in more detail when the series is complete. No point getting concerned about a single result just yet.

So its good that ive started to introduce a Fartlek run in week 9 & 10 to help me transition into the speed work proper that i want to do starting week 11. I really enjoyed my fartlek runs.

Week 10 was a much better week for me, I clocked up another 100+ mile week. 163km. It hasnt been easy running as weve been dealing with a major cold snap here in europe, with temperatures getting down to -13°c mid week and -15°c saturday morning where i ended up with ice encrusted eyebrows and eyelashes. But perhapes the adversity has fired me up a bit more to get out there and get it done.

I also got my cross training in with a swim session thursday evening.

On Sundays long run i went out a bit to fast as i got caught up running with a faster group of runners. I also suffered some strange cramping/pain in my left foot that will need to be watched.

Looking ahead Week 11 is when i introduce some speed development work, Im looking foward to getting some intervals done on a track. And hopefully equalising out some of my running development.

Boston Build Up - Week 8

This week Ive been plagued with a Cold. Its not really been bad enough to stop me from running, but i decided fairly early on in the week to keep my volume down a little so that i didnt put too much stress on my immune system.

I had intended to run another 160km week but instead it turned out to be 116km. I also didnt do a long run as on sunday morning when i had  it scheduled I woke up feeling a little bit worse for wear, I still got out and started the run but we started off by heading straight into the wind, which had me feeling pretty sorry for myself, so i cut it short at 19k.

My legs however really seemed to have enjoyed this cutback week, The tightness in my left leg has subsided, and the niggle in my right hip is now a thing of the past. This encouraged me to run both of my steady paced runs at a pretty good clip. It was really nice to see my pace heading down close to 4:30/k at an effort level that i felt like i could sustain for a good length of time.


We now have 12 full weeks till Boston, thats just 10 weeks more of training time before the need to Taper. This coming week I start to prepare for the next major phase of training, focused on speed development by introducing a fartlek run into my training. I also have the first of my tune-up and assesment races at the end of the week.

Boston Build Up - Week 7

This was a much better week in terms of running conditions. This allowed me to increase the intensity a little on my mid week runs, I was quite surprised how hard i was feeling like i was pushing myself to have to maintain the target HR's id set myself for these runs. But I was able to run them for close too two hours before feeling the effects of Glykogen depletion.

The second semi-long run i used as a field test for my Boston Shoes, the Brooks Green Silence. They worked pretty well, i did start to feel my right achilles at the end, so i think i should repeat a run at that distance before extending to use them on a LSR. I will also be including my other flat shoes more often in my weekly routine.

As the week went on and the volume of running continued to grow I started to feel it in my legs, and the niggle in my right hip started to come back. Then I spent sunday morning in a cold sports hall watching my youngests indoor soccer tournament, they won, but i just couldnt get warm, and decided to skip my planned run and spend the afternoon wrapped up on the couch and indulge in a bit of comfort food.

I dont feel guilty about this rest day, It was the wise choice in my books, it had been two weeks since my last full day off, and Im feeling much better today. Looking foward to this weeks training. The plan is to continue on the same as the past week with the main goal the continued building of my base Aerobic condition.

I would also like to perform a fitness test this week. either a Hadd test or a Mafetone style 10k at AT... I havent done either in the past, but i think it will be good for my running to start to do something like this regularly, once per month or so.

Total running this week was 6 training runs, 3 recovery runs and a total of 161km.

Boston Build Up - Week 6

Cant really Believe im writing the 6th week allready, the time seems to be really flying. Still this week felt like ive finally got into the meat and potatoes of my Boston training. I did all of the planned workouts and ran all of the planned recovery runs as well.

MarathonTalks Jantastic Challenge played no small part in motivating me to get out there and do all the runs id planned. The idea is a honesty bassed challenge where listeners provide a goal number of weekly runs and then record the actual number completed. Without the Challenge im sure the two winter storms that passed through this week would have convinced me to cull perhapes a few of the runs.

Instead i was out there running in gale force winds, storm warnings, through thunder and lightening, torrential rain, and even hail, and on thursday morning all of them at the sametime.

Im also really pleased with my weekend, the first proper long run, 34km around a nice hilly route with plenty of long downhills that will do wonders to hill toughen me for Boston. I followed that up with another 27km on sunday, mixing in a little bit of Ultra style Back-to-Back running. Legs really felt it, which sort of shows that it is needed, if not for boston then for my plans for what comes after.

All this means that i clocked up a pretty big week, over 179km spread over 10 runs. Ill be looking to maintain this sort of resolve, next week, and throughout the whole of January. In particular the introduction of proper long runs.

Boston Build Up - Week 5

Another week cramed in between christmas and New Years, but i still managed to get most of the running done that id planned. It was also a race week so i rearranged my runs a little, moving my mid week longer runs foward a day, to give me two easy days before the race.

And although i had planned to go running on the 1st. I think i can forgive myself that i decided to take it as a recovery day. I wasnt sore after saturdays race no DOMS and no injuries, but one day off is ok.

I did manage to get 9h30 of training done, with no extra recovery paced runs. I also spent a fair bit of time looking at what adjustments i need to make to my trainign plan heading going foward.

For the rest of January i will continue to focus on Aerobic base building, In Febuary i will introduce a little bit of Anaerobic Speed work, before introducing some more race specific workouts in March.

The Race went really well, a new PB, but more importantly the VDOT value was 51.2 which puts it almost inline with the VDOT value from the Münster marathon. I think it sets me up nicely for the next 3 months training. I was worried when i first came back that it would take me longer to return to form after my training break in November.

Next week, Id like to get considerably closer to the full training volume laid out in my plan, That shouldnt really be a problem if i dont skip the long run.

Boston Build Up - Week 4

With this week leading into christmas it was allways going to be a struggle to get all of my training in. But I managed to do it. The goal after a recovery week was to match my time spent at training pace from week 2. That meant a total of 9h45 I managed to hit that almost exactly. My total millage this week was 126km. 

However because of the Holiday Season madness, and the need to get those last minute presents or supplies for Xmas dinner I only managed one additional run this week. Although in one run I did combine running and picking up a present.

I was also able to start bringing back in some of the higher intensity running in the second half of the week that id dropped during the recovery week to help stave off the niggles id picked up. Whats more my feeling during the runs was much improved, the recovery week certainly did its job.

The next week is not going to be run according to plan. I have a 15k race scheduled for saturday, new years eve. It means ill pull foward my mid week longer runs to give me an extra day to recover. and just do an easy run on the friday. Sunday will probably not have a long run... better a light medium distance recovery run.

My bathroom scales seemed to have given up the ghost, so im floundering in the dark when it comes to figuring out the effect of Xmas on my race weight goals... still plenty of time, but im going to have to start paying closer attention, and perhapes invest in some new scales.

Boston Build Up - Week 3

At the end of last week id planned to continue to increase my volume, and aim to reach 11hrs at a training pace. However by Wednesday it was pretty clear to me that I was pushing too hard, and needed some rest. So i decided to swap thursdays planned 2hr stead Aerobic run for a 30min easy jog. I also took Sunday as a full rest day, partly because of the need for rest, partly because i decided to spend the time with my kids instead.

Its important to listen to your body when its getting tired. Ignoring it and pushing on adhering strictly to the plan for the sake of the plan is a fools game, and eventually leads to disaster through either injury or overtraining. On Wednesday I looked at the feeling notes id given my runs, with the exception of mondays 'nightlife run' Id not really been enjoying things since Sunday. My legs were feeling heavy, and id picked up a little niggle in on my right backside/hip. I decide it was wiser to pull back a little.

I guess its not really surprising. My first week was a substantial increase in volume compared to the weeks before that when i was taking a training break, and then last week I increased the volume again.

My weight hasnt changed radically... partly through my own fault as i subcombed to the seductions of another Marzipan stollen. However the festive season with its butter cookies, mulled wine, and abundance of chocolate surely bears the lions share of the blame.... surely.

Ive been tossing around shoe choices for boston, Id like to decide early so that i can also do plenty of training in the raceday shoe.

Next week I think i should try and repeat the volume from week 2 perhapes with a slightly longer long run on the weekend, although Im not sure that christmas will allow that.
 

Boston Build Up - Week 2

So ive just finished the second week of my Buildup for Boston. Im still in a rampup phase where im building millage. I was much happier with this week, Last week i was a little depressed at the pace i was running at at my various HR training Zones. Last week i felt like i had to keep reducing the effort to get my HR to the right level. This week there were several runs where i found myself having to push harder to get it up to the right level.

The Weather hasnt been all that conducive to running, lots of wind, which when its behind you is great, but it does make for some tough running going the otherway.

The Standout run for me this week was saturday. It was targeted as 90 mins at HR 140, An Easy Aerobic effort. I recorded 1:31 at Avg Hr 139 and i had an average pace of 4:54/km. However I ran this in my Green Silences, and i think hey were responsible for my legs feeling very tired for Sundays Run.

This week Ryan posted a comparision of the elevation profile from Boston and some of the more famous trail Ultra's on his blog... it kind of brings things back into perspective a little, But i still want to sit down and actually compare what hills i have here to train on here against those on the boston course.

This week i managed a 9h45 of running at training pace with two additional recovery runs and a total distance of 142km. Next week i want to extend the longer runs during the week to add another 1h15 to my training time.

Boston Build Up - Week 1

Well week one is done and dusted. I was itching to get started, and then when i did i found it harder than expected, In no doubt partly because of some loss of fitness as a result of the past 4 weeks where i didnt run much at all, And also almost certainly because of the extra weight im carrying with me. (I blame the early arrival of christmas cookies, cakes and chocolates in the stores )

Still both of those things should come right pretty quickly.

Ive just recently had my HR monitor replaced, so have been able to train using my HR again. I did a Max HR test at the start of the week and came up with 178 although i suspect i could squeeze 1 or 2 more beats out of my ticker. My HR(rest) was 47 on Monday and 45 on friday. It allowed me to calculate my target HR bassed on HRR for the first time... more on that in another post to follow shortly

This week saw me manage 8h30 of running at training effort. My cunning plan sets a weekly target of 12h15. So i need to build up the volume a little. I intend to do this over the next 3 weeks by adding 1h15 to each week, before a step back week between Xmas and NewYears, which will also double as a semi-taper for the New years race ive entered.

It feels good to be back training properly again. My legs handled the return to training pretty well although my calves have been just a little tighter than usual, but i guess that is also to be expected.