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.

Review: Pure Connect - Feelings

Ah yes ladies finally a man that wants to talk about his feelings...

 

When brooks introduced the new PureProject line they used a graph to show the difference between them and the shoes in their traditional range. The graph shows a new scale Float vs Feel.

It highlights the different feeling of running in the pure project shoes. The Pure Project is all about feeling more on your run. Feeling connected with your running environment.

Hamm Winterlauf Series 15k

The weather was once again Ideal for the start of the 2nd race in the Hamm Winterlauf Series. This time over 15km. It was cold, and only the slightest of breezes blowing on a dry (and a little dusty) course.

Id decided to change my fueling for this race I ate a good carb rich dinner the night before, and treated myself to a few chocolates and sweets  while watching TV. Instead of breakfast, i just drank a couple of cups of fresh coffee, and took a gel 20 minutes before the start.

The start of the 15km is on the track just like the 10k however in the 10k the runners are split into two seperate races, in the 15k we all start together, So it means an even more crowded start, This time i only managed to get about 10m from the start line, and was standing over about lane 7.

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.

Hamm Winterlauf Series 10k

My local winterlauf Series is also Germany oldest running 3 race winter Series. So it goes without saying that i am entered.

clipping from the local paper

But not only for nostlgic reasons, the series, a 10k , 15k, and HM make for a great appraisal of your marathon fitness, both in the individual Races but also if you take the series total time. You come away with 4 marathon predictions for the price of 3.

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.

Comparison: Brooks Ghost 4 vs Brooks Glycerin 9

Ive been lucky enough to get the opportunity to run in both the Brooks Ghost 4 and the Brooks Glycerin 9. Both very popular neutral shoes from the brooks lineup. Ive reviewed both in the past Brooks Ghost - An Allrounder & Brooks Glycerin - How far is too far. This time I wanted to compare them and give my thoughts on each in comparison for the benefit of those who havent had the chance to run in both.

Welcome ladies and Gentlemen to this Neutral Shoe Championship bout. In the Blue corner we have the Brooks Ghost 4, a favorite of many, and a real good all-rounder. In the red corner we have the Brooks Glycerin 9, a long standing staple, and built to go the distance. I’ve seen both of these shoes in action, they are both outstanding, we should be in for a real good match up. I don’t expect an early knockout, this one will go the full 12 rounds.

Let’s get ready to Ruuuuuumble!

Round 1 - Weight

The Ghost plays to one of its traditional strengths and leads off with its weight, 320g in the Men’s size 9. I’m not so sure that was a good call, the ghost has put on a few grams in the last few years from its early lightweight days at 303g- The Glycerin counters with its 343g a 14g drop on last year. In my mind the difference between the weights of these shoes is now too close to really make any effect, but I’m not sure how the judges will see it.

Round 2 - Cushioning

The Glycerin brings out its big guns, the full length DNA, a great move. This non-Newtonian liquid helps provide custom cushioning, softening when you apply less force i.e. when you’re going slow and firming up as you speed up. But the Ghost has some DNA of its own located in the two primary strike zones the heel and the forefoot. Both shoes have more than enough cushioning to take you comfortably to the end of a long run, But high volume runners might appreciate the extra cushioning of the glycerin especially for those back to back weekends.

Round 3 - Flexibility

The ghost impresses with its flexibility, this has become a hallmark of the ghost series and the Ghost 4 is no exception, It has great forefoot flexibility. Unfortunately lack of flexibility is something the glycerin 9 has been criticized for by some. And it’s true the Glycerin doesn’t have the same flexibility of the ghost. I’m a big guy and have no problems flexing the Glycerin, I don’t see this as an issue but others might.

Round 4 - Styling

Both of these shoes have somewhat reserved styling, you don’t have the loud colors of some of their lightweight cousins. However the Ghost 4 does appear to be ever so slightly more aggressive with some marking that if you really use your imagination could resemble flames on the toe box and an upswept overlay that extends from the midfoot to the heel cup. The Glycerin eschews such frivolities for a very stable looking midfoot wrap.

Round 5 - Fit

This is a hard one to call as Fit is so subjective. Personally I found the toe box of the Glycerin 9 to be a little more open and unrestricted than in the Ghost, The overlays on the ghost come up higher and are a little more restrictive for the toes. The glycerin also feels a little plusher around the ankle collar, and in the tongue, although the Ghost 4 has made significant inroads in this area. For fit I have to give it to the glycerin.

Round 6 – Outsole and Heel

Turn these shoes over and both are very similar in the layout of the outsole, both shoes segment the forefoot area into 4 main bands with omega flex groves between them, These are slightly more pronounced on the Glycerin. In the heel area both have the caterpillar crash pads. The Glycerin sports a slight bevel to the back of the heel, while the ghost’s heel is flat throughout. 

 

Round 7 - Durability

This one is a hard one to call for me, I’ve not seen either of these particular shoes run to exhaustion. I do have an earlier version of the Ghosts in my current rotation that has seen 1200km’s and is still in good shape, although that’s much longer than most runners would want to wear them. I expect the glycerins will easily be the match of the Ghost for Durability. Perhaps with its slightly less flexible midsole it might even last a little longer for the average runner.

Round 8 - Price

Here the Ghost 4 has the initial advantage, although if the Durability does come out in favor of the Glycerin you would do well to consider the price per km, rather than just be swayed by what’s on the sticker on the box.

Round 9 - Areas of use

The ghost impresses as a bit of an all-rounder. It’s equally at home knocking out intervals, or accompanying you on a long run. The Glycerin’s slightly heavy weight and its reduced flexibility mean that its less suited to those faster workouts, but what it does well it does really well, long runs will float by in the glycerin.

Round 10 - Construction

Both of these shoes are well made, if the ghost has a fault here its that the blue element of the midsole in the forefoot area is just painted on rather than being made up of actually blue colored foam that is only in the heel of the ghost whereas the coloured foam is used throughout in the Glycerin. Neither of my examples has any manufacturing flaws that I can discover, but I expect no less from Brooks.

Round 11 - Schlupfgefuhle

Another subjective round, Perhaps I’m a little bit clouded in this by the timing of when I first tried on of the ghosts, but for me the Glycerin’s plush feel and there nonrestrictive toe box gave it the clear advantage here. I should point out that once my feet recovered from their Ultra ordeal I was able to run a first run of over 20km in both shoes… both have run straight from the box credentials

Round 12 – Rotation

For the runner with a number of different types of shoes in their current rotation the Glycerin offers a very capable long run expert with ample cushioning to ensure that your legs are not getting beaten up too much making for a faster recovery, For the runner with a smaller or even non-existent shoe rotation the Ghost 4 offers an excellent all-rounder, It is more than capable of handling all but the craziest long runs, but also can be used in speed work and tempo runs. Naturally the glycerin can manage that too but not with quite the same class as the Ghost.

Well what a match up, It’s going to be a close call, For me the Glycerin has the slight advantage. The slightly better Fit and the souvarain cushioning for those really long runs, more than make up for the minimal increase in weight, The ghosts advantages for faster work are eliminated by the fast run specialists in my current shoe Rotation. But I’m not sure how the Judges have scored it.

Let’s take a look, so, how do you score it? If you’ve tried both which one is your favorite? If not which do you tend towards and why?

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.

Werl - Soest Silvesterlauf 15km

Its been quite a while since my last race on the street, And Ive only been training for a month since my 4 week training break, so I was a little unsure just how aggressive i should pace this race. I did have hopes that id be able to run a more or less equivalent performance to Münster. And then the weather report was predicting some decent tail winds, so i though maybe 61:30 was possible.

On the day the promised tailwinds didnt show up, in the morning there was no wind, but by the race start they were more or less 90° to the course, so no real wind advantage. I decided to run the race by feel, rather than try and stick to the splits required for 61:30

Prior to the race I did a bit of warmup and then handed of my jacket and bag, then it was a final stop at the toilet before lining up in the start corals.... There were 4 blocks at the front for those who had supplied fast times, and then one big block at the back for the rest.... but as allways in the first km i passed dozens of runners who were obviously likely to run a 1:20-1.30 times... i dont see the point in a chip race... your actually setting yourself up to go out too fast.

I didnt go out too fast this time, managing to hold the first Km to 4:15 before settling into a more appropriate 4:10 Id ridden the course from finish to start in the summer on my bike, I had it pretty flat in my memory, but it actually had a number of rolling hills. I clocked my slowest km on one at km7 a 4:24 a 12-13s slowdown, something to remember for the hills at boston.

After that however it was gently downhill and i managed to string two km's at 4:08 and then another at 4:06 together... holding the pace better on the albeit smaller rises towards the end of the course.

This wasnt really much of a race for me as i was surronded the whole time by other runners, although i was doing considerably more overtaking as i was being overtaken. What was good was to see the km's ticking off at gMP for boston (or better) and me feeling reasonably comfortable doing it. I ran in my Brooks Green Silence, the shoes that im seriously considering for Boston. They were pretty comfortable through out.

I passed the 14km sign expecting it to be the 13km... so i picked up the pace a little and pulled back the last guy to overtake me, and then continued to wind up the pace through the last km, to give a final sprint finish to the line.... actually if id known where the finish line was id have probably been able to start my wind up a bit sooner. I crossed the line, put my head down for a few deep breaths then remembered to stop my garmin.

Later on checking the results My time was 1:02:16 not quite the ambitious wind assisted time id original targeted, but i was more than happy with it... its a good 3:30 faster than my previous PB, and the VDOT score of 51.2 is pretty much inline with the 51.24 from Münster. Its given me a good bit of confidence going into the next stage of my training for Boston.

here the tail from lady Garmins perspective.

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.
 

Review: Brooks Ghost 4 - An Allrounder

I recently obtained a pair of Brooks Ghost 4’s, this time not as part of my test packet. I have done the bulk of my training in several pairs of an earlier version, the Ghost 2. So I was really looking forward to this shoe. The first steps in the new Ghosts are comfortable, however…. I notice that the toe box feels a little restrictive. My toes were still a little swollen from the Röntgenlauf and the tip of the 4^th toe was touching the end of the toe box… I decided to take the shoes off and put them on the shelf until I was fully recovered.

A week later when I next put them on, I got that ‘If I want I could go run 20km right now’ feel that I have come to expect from Brook’s shoes. With the swelling gone down my toes were no longer touching the toe box, although the 4^th toe is still pretty close. The Shoe feels comfortably springy under foot. The heel seems quite soft when walking on it. I also notice that the tongue and heel cup seem to have a bit more padding than the Ghost 2. The shoe, or more likely the sock liner also appears to have lost a little height under that arch, something that you notice in the Ghost 2.

The Ghost 4 has the Brooks DNA material in the heel and forefoot, so I knew I could expect the shoe to feel firmer when I started running. My first run was the previously mentioned 20km. The Shoe does indeed firm up once you’re running but retainins its flexibility. Personally I try to avoid over striding and coming down hard on my heel, but in a shoe like the Ghost I do still land on my heel, especially after about 10-15km, the shoe transitions really nicely from the heel onto the toe. 

The first run went well, as did the next few runs in the Ghost 4’s. However I cannot help comparing them to the ghost 2’s that Id been using previously, and unfortunately there are a couple of points where in my opinion they are not an improvement.

Firstly there is the weight issue. The Ghost was originally considered a light or at least a lighter trainer. My Ghost 2 weighs in at 306g in a US 9. The Ghost 4 is now up to 320g not really a lot ill agree but in my US13’s the difference is noticeable. The Ghost appears to be bucking the trend of shoes getting lighter. It has consistently put on weight with each new release. I guess the definition of light has also changed and now the Brooks Launch with its 260g better fills the Light Neutral Trainer slot. 

 

Next is the overlays around the toe box. For me they come up a little too high which then causes that closeness to my 4^th toe. In the ghost 2 the overlay is lower and allows the material in the toe box to spread just a little more.

However there are a number of areas where I do think they are better.

The outsole is a big improvement. In the Ghost 2 the forefoot is loosely divided into 3 sections in the Ghost 4 its 4 sections. With a deeper ‘Omega Groove’ cut into the midsole material. This provides even greater flexibility in the forefoot. The heel with its caterpillar crash pads help absorb and isolate the impact during a heel landing better. Although I am a little concerned at the relatively small amount of carbon rubber back there.

The Ghost4 has a good set of reflectors on the heel and another on the toe that the Ghost2 is missing. Anything that improves the safety of running in the dark or at dusk gets a big thumb’s up from me.

The Ghost 4 is an excellent all rounder, It is light and flexible enough to use during faster workouts, whilst robust and stable enough to cater for any amount of long training runs. This versatility has helped the Ghost 4 to a repeat 'Editors Choice' award from Runners World magazine. If you only have one pair of shoes in your closet then the Ghost 4 would be an excellent choice.

The ultimate question in any review is, Knowing what I know now about the shoe, would I go out and buy it again? Unfortunately for the Ghost 4 my answer at the moment is 'no'. The problem for me is that for what I would use the Ghost 4 for there is a slightly better big brother in the Glycerin 9, Ill explain my reasoning in an upcoming post. However that doesn't mean I don't recommend this shoe. For anyone looking for a Neutral Trainer you should consider the Ghost 4. After all, the little points that sway me in favor of the Glycerin 9 might just be the negatives that sway you towards the Ghost 4. 

Run Happy 

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.

Reading Roundup

Well its been some time since my last Reading Roundup, and Ive certainly done much more reading than i could ever detail here (or that would be of interest) but there were a couple of themes that might be of interest to others.

First off i did some research into Mitochondria, In particular i was interested in how to best promote their development. It appears clear that Aerobic Exercise drives mitochondria density. However a biketechreview article idicates that higher intenstiy may be required to achieve maximum results.

Unfortunately when you stop training mitochodria return relatively rapidly to pre-training levels, which im sure is a contributing factor to my pace reduction post trainings pause.

However its also important to remember that mitochondria are just one of many limitations to performance in endurance sport.

While looking at mitochondria i also stumbled over an article about the link between Aerobic exercise and the desire to exercise, due to mitochondria development in the brain. Does Aerobic exercise increase your mental ability to endure running at the limit ala Tim Noakes Central Governer

In the time since my last roundup ive also put together the skeleton of a training plan for Boston which will undoubtedly result in high millage. For anyone still doubting the validity of high millage training to maximise performance I refer you to the video below. The video quality isnt great but the information therin is gold worth.

"The challenge for those pursuing excellence is to find the mileage range that you can handle without breaking down" - http://www.copacabanarunners.net Greg McMillan describes how to safely introduce doubles into your schedule to increase millage once youve reached your maximum capacity during single runs.

I also ran across a great article explainging fueling for long runs. Of particular interest to me was the information about the supressive effect of insulin on fat metabolism. What i draw from that is that prior to exercise you should not take hi GI fuels, ie gels that contain simple sugars ( eg powerbar's C2Max gels ) Ive allways taken a gel 15-20 mins prior to a marathon... ill now avoid gels that contain the rapidly absorbed simple sugars pre race.... However it apears that the response is supressed once you actually start exercising.

Finally there is a really interesting point made in this article on recovery, namely that exercise done to aid recovery is best if it targets the specific muscles used during that activity... hence the best active recovery for running is ... well running (just a lot slower )

A Cunning Plan

2011 had a number of highlights, but now is the time to look ahead, to lay plans, to set goals for 2012. For me the next big A goal is a no-brainer.

My next big 'A' goal is a sub 3 Hour Marathon at Boston 2012.

To that end I have come up with a plan so cunning you could stick a tail on it and call it a weasel. Im going to get myself in sub 2:50 shape and then run a controlled sub 3 pace. It's fool proof I tell you.

OK So maybe there is one small issue, Sub 2:50 form is over 15 minutes faster than my current PB. Perhapes 2:50 is beyond my reach, but heck if you dont aim high youll never reach your full potential.

So over the past few weeks Ive been doing a bit of research, looking at how I trained for munster, looking at what worked, where i can improve. Where I can tweak my training to get a better result, I have put together a training plan.

The Training Plan

My training for Boston is going to be once again bassed on Lydiard. Which means high millage in the Aerobic Zone. For Münster I mistook the variance in Aerobic pace, that is in a Lydiard Plan for the effort of the workout. Its not all about running at the same pace every day. There should be a lot of variation in paces, form the slow pace of the weekly long run, right up too the Sub LT threshold runs at faster than Marathon Pace. I will be including a lot more varience in my pace in this training round.

Another big change for me will be the shift to training in the mornings. My running group meets in the evenings, unfortunately the groups normal pace is now a slower recovery jog pace for me, with 3 group runs during the week, I was simply loosing too much training time. The shift to training mornings allows me to train at my pace every day, and then use the group runs as additional recovery paced jogging. I have already given pre-dawn running a trial and it works for me

My current training break will officially end on Nov 27 when i run the Aasee Candlelight 10k in Munster. In the fist few weeks of training after that I will be building up the millage, and time spent running with the goal of follow the plan below.

Mon: AM - 75 min Easy or a Progress assesment, PM - Recovery Jog
Tue: AM - 120 min Medium Effort Pace, PM - Cross training
Wed: AM - 80 min Easy, PM - Recovery Jog
Thur: AM - 130 min Medium Effort Pace, PM - Cross training
Fri: AM - 60 min Sub LT (Hard Aerobic Effort Pace), PM - Recovery Jog
Sat: 90 min Marathon Pace Conditioning.
Sun: 180 min Easy Effort Pace.

I will endeavour to be better about doing a proper warmup routine prior to my morning runs. I will continue to Include a core strength program in my training. I am planning to add a once weekly stretching regime, although not immediately prior or post running workout.

In February I will be running the Hamm Winter Lauf Series. 10k, 15k, and HM. These provide a really good estimate of Marathon form when you add all three results together. For example my total in 2011 was 3:24 and then I ran 3:23 in Vieena. I will not do any tapering for these races, and after them I wont race again until Boston, that way I hope to elimate the inconsistency that I had prior to Münster due to tappering for HM races.

"Knowing where you want to go is easy. Mapping out the plan to get there is challenging. Doing it requires total commitment" - Josh Cox, 

So now that i have my goal, and the cunning plan that is guaranteed to achieve it, Im 2/3rds done... all i need now is a little commitment.

 

2011 a Season of PB's

Im currently taking a short training break. The idea is to give my body and mind a chance to re-group before I start what is likely to be a hard 3-4 months training for my first big 'A' goal race in 2012. A break like this is also the ideal opportunity to look back over the achievments of the previous season. A lot has happened to me this year.

Highlights

I still remember that amazing feeling i had running through the streets of Vienna, grinning from ear to ear and thinking to myself 'Wow your really doing it, your running a marathon'. Only a year before that i was going through several bottles of vodka a week, and on the edge of a slippery slope into a really dark place. Instead to inspire my kids Id taken up running, and now there i was running my Debut Marathon.

After Vienna I'd planned to focus on anaerobic training for shorter races instead I hurt my achilles, and thought that the enforced break in training would put a sub 20 5k well out of reach. But my kids cheered me on at the local 5k in haltern, and somehow I managed to pull that sub 20 and my first ever age class win out of the hat.

I then turned my sights to the Münster Marathon, I started building up the milage again, training even more than i did for Vienna. There were a number of Half Marathons in the build up that left me more than a little uncertain that i was in shape to run my targeted 3:10, but on the day it all seemed to come together, my pace plan worked a treat and i was able to storm home to run a time that surprised me as much as anyone, 3:06. I used it to apply for Boston 2012, and it was accepted.

To close out my 2011 season I decided to reward myself with an Ultra Marathon, the Röntgenlauf. Id not really done any specific training, just relied on the Aerobic base my Münster training had built. The race itself was fantastic. My result more than acceptable. It has me itching for more in 2012.

PB's everywhere

The first Races of the season were the Hamm Winter Series. 10k, 15k, and HM. They worked into the Vienna build up really well, and it was great to run these races where i do most of my training. I set PB's in each, which would become a theme for the whole season, with just about every race I ran leading to a new PB.

I started the season with a 5k PB of 25:47 I took 5 minutes off in the first 5k of the season, and a further minute of a week later to set my current PB of 19:35

I broke my 10k PB everytime I ran the distance, taking it from 43:07 at the start of the season down to 40:28 at the start of Autum.

My Half Marathon PB was a little more resistant, helped by a great start to the season in the Hamm Winter Series, and warm temperatures prior to Münster. Still it was 1:43:20 prior to the season and i have a race PB of 1:34:02 now. Which given my 1:31 second half to Münster should be a pretty soft target.

In the Marathon I debut'd with a 3:23 and improved it to a 3:06 Five months later

Training

Some of the dramatic improvement in my running times this year has to be contributed to simple beginners improvement. However during the year my training has migrated towards being primarily focused Lydiards principles, on improving my Aerobic condition. Im sure that also played a significant part in my results. It remains to be seen if i can continue to improve next year, but i dont see why not.

There is certainly room for improvement in my training. I will be working on improving my consistency in the buildup to Boston. My Münster training was disturbed by too much racing in final weeks before tapering. I was unable to use my HR monitor due to some 'technical difficulties'. My training was also a little one dimensional too much long slow and not enough medium fast aerobic training.

It surprising but ive also really been enjoying my training break over the last few weeks. I have even done a little less recreational running than I'd initially planned. The break is almost over. Im feeling re-energized and ready for the coming season. If its anything like this year has been then its going to be a doozy.

Review: Brooks Glycerin 9 - How Far is Too Far?

My Brooks Test Package included a shoe that Id not run in before. The Brooks Glycerin, currently in its ninth version.

The Glycerin 9 is the Rolls Royce in the Brooks neutral category... built for comfort. The extra cushioning is immediately obvious. The whole shoe just feels plush when you put it on. From the thick foam around the collar, to the extra thick tongue, even the material in the toe-box feels thicker than what you get in a Ghost. Walking around in them the shoe feels soft, luxurious and just a little bit squishy underfoot.

When I first put them on I just knew that id be able to stand up, head out the door, and run a decent distance in them without any issues. The shoes just felt really good on my feet, I had no points that were pinching or were too tight. I know a lot of reviewers think they have unusual feet. I guess that is normal, few of us have feet that exactly match the shoe makers last. Ive been cursed or blessed with a rather long 4th toe (the one beside the pinky) which means that I often have to go up a size in shoes to get the required width across the tips of my toes. The Glycerin 9 doesn't have a high scuff protector overlay so my toes have plenty of room to spread, making them ideal for me.

It had been wet and windy all day Saturday so it was especially inviting to wake up Sunday morning to clear skies, some residual fog, and cool temperatures around 4°c Conditions that just scream at the runner that they should be outside taking advantage of the moment. The perfect opportunity to christen a new pair of shoes.

I started off with my usual slow warm up jog, to the meeting point. The extra cushioning was nice under foot, definitely a lot softer than my ghosts. The group run started off at a pace of 5:45/km. We ran along a bike path beside the canal. The Glycerin's easily handling the crushed gravel path. still  comfortably soft but not too soft. After some 6km the only Lady in the group peeled off because she only wanted to run 10k...so it was just the lads left.... lads being lads from then on the pace slowly crept up as the kilometers got ticked off over a mix of gravel and asphalt.

What surprised me was that as the pace kept climbing the Glycerins also seemed to get firmer under foot. Still not as firm as the ghosts, but nothing like the soft cushy 'walk on clouds' feeling you get when your walking in them. I Guess the DNA does what it says it does and firms up the midsole as the impact increases. We wound the pace down to around 4:50/km the glycerins took it all in their stride. My first run in the Glycerin 9's turned out to be just over 21km.

The Glycerin 9 has a substantial overlay package around the mid-foot and heel, This provides plenty of support and ensures that shoe doesn't move around on your foot. The segmented out-sole under the forefoot allows for a very smooth transition through to toe-off. The heel is very forgiving for a heel striker, or should your form deteriorate over time.

Personally i wouldn't pick these shoes for short fast racing, there are other shoes in the Brooks lineup that might be more appropriate, however if your looking for extra cushioning, want to feel super comfortable or are planning on raking up some high millage then you cant really go wrong with them.

Going Far

It was that High Millage point that really piqued my Interest. Id decided to attempt my first Ultra as a reward for an outstanding run in the Münster Marathon. The Röntgenlauf a 63km race in Remscheid over a mix of mostly non technical bike paths and asphalt seemed like the ideal candidate. The Glycerin 9 like a good shoe choice. All that i needed to do was make sure that they, and I, would be up to the challenge.

Two weeks out i put us both to the test. On Saturday I ran the teutoberglauf, in the Ghosts that had served me well in Münster. Sunday it was time for the Glycerins to step up to the plate with a longer training run. I headed for the Halterner Haard, 47km later it was getting dark, and my legs were shot. My feet on the other hand were just fine, wrapped in infinity socks and the Glycerin 9's.

Here's a short video I took of me unveiling my feet after that run through the Haard. Im speaking (murdering) German in the Video btw.

After that, the decision was easy, id use that exact same combination for the Röntgenlauf.

My experience at the Röntgenlauf was fantastic. Yes it was hard, the hills were tough, and my legs were feeling it towards the end, but i achieved a great result for my debut. I must give some credit for that to the shoes, my feet posed me no problems during the race. The combination of the thick Infinity Socks and Glycerin 9 protected them from the pounding I gave them over the 63km course. In the final 10km's it was just a battle between my will, and my legs. My feet were fine, i didn't have any blisters or hot spots, nothing to make those last 10k harder than they were.

Ive done my best to find the Distance Limit for the Glycerin, but it has me beat as the guys at activegearreview say 'you’ll quit long before they do'. For comfort, for high millage the Glycerin 9 is a fantastic shoe. My pair is going to see some pretty hard usage this winter, especially on my long runs, as I build up for Boston. I know that they can handle it.

Run Happy