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Chronicles of a fish: the days of surf and turf

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  • Subscribers Posts: 19,425 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    And also remember what a wise old boardsie once told me: There is nothing you can do to improve fitness in the last two weeks before a race. But there is plenty you can do to make it worse.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    If you were to solicit advice from a hobbled crock in his 50's, he might suggest you should have a more definite answer to your PMP at this stage. The story of your race will depend on how good you feel at mile 16.

    I feared my answer was far too long winded for a hobbled old crock in his 50s (are you really in your 50s??) and worried that it's generous length and breadth might cause you to slip into an eye-glazing coma-like state that I, quite honestly, did not want to be responsible for. ;)

    PMP.....will probably depend on the number and size of hills I face on the day, so that's a huge unknown and a bit scary to me. My thinking is to try to stay around the 8 min/mile mark for the first part of the marathon (what say you, my older and wiser friend - until mile 16, perhaps?), hoping to be relaxed for these miles, then start to kick it in a bit as I get closer to the finish. Not knowing this course and never having run miles 21 - 26.2 before, it's a little hard for me to say with 100% certainty what my PMP will be. If it were a flat course, I think I'd be a bit more ambitious with my pace prediction, but it's really going to be all about those hills.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    Oryx wrote: »
    And also remember what a wise old boardsie once told me: There is nothing you can do to improve fitness in the last two weeks before a race. But there is plenty you can do to make it worse.

    Was that dpop? ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,608 ✭✭✭donothoponpop


    Dory Dory wrote: »
    PMP.....will probably depend on the number and size of hills I face on the day, so that's a huge unknown and a bit scary to me. My thinking is to try to stay around the 8 min/mile mark for the first part of the marathon (what say you, my older and wiser friend - until mile 16, perhaps?), hoping to be relaxed for these miles, then start to kick it in a bit as I get closer to the finish. Not knowing this course and never having run miles 21 - 26.2 before, it's a little hard for me to say with 100% certainty what my PMP will be. If it were a flat course, I think I'd be a bit more ambitious with my pace prediction, but it's really going to be all about those hills.

    All of that is grand. The biggest issue would be you feeling great and hyped up and bursting with energy, and running too fast at the start, figuring this PMP thing isn't all its cracked up to be. But you won't do that, if you run to 16 or so at your planned 8 min/miles (and that'll take discipline!), you can decide to keep steady, or up the pace if you need.

    Dory Dory wrote: »
    I feared my answer was far too long winded for a hobbled old crock in his 50s (are you really in your 50s??) and worried that it's generous length and breadth might cause you to slip into an eye-glazing coma-like state that I, quite honestly, did not want to be responsible for. ;)

    Racoon Queen announced to the world I was in my early 50's, probably to put me in my place after I came on to her. Now I've no choice but to cheerfully play along, pretending that I don't see this as a massive slight and insult from a young pup.;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    Racoon Queen announced to the world I was in my early 50's, probably to put me in my place after I came on to her. Now I've no choice but to cheerfully play along, pretending that I don't see this as a massive slight and insult from a young pup.;)

    Maybe she was too focused on your well advanced and highly honed wit and wisdom that she totally overlooked your juvenile humor and was confused. If we average out the two, I'm guessing you're much closer to your early 40s. ;)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 8,208 ✭✭✭shotgunmcos


    Well done on the Long Run control HDD, much more like it. Enjoy the soft taper ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    Intervals

    It was such a picture perfect evening tonight that I decided to do my warmup outside in the field, then, once warmed and loosened, head inside to the controlled safety of my trusty treadie for the guts of this session.

    The field was pretty quiet tonight - didn't even meet up with Mr. Smith's black cat until my fourth lap around....and when I did, I happily acquiesced my furry friend's request for a few minutes of my time. Toyed with the idea of only doing 2 miles for my warmup, but the loveliness of the sun setting on the Massanutten Mountain convinced me to go just a little further to extend my time washed in the evening's glow. Upon my last time around the field, I met up with my black kitty with a knife and fork in his paws and a bib around his neck as he had his sights on dinner in the form of an unassuming rabbit who, fortunately for Mr. Peter Cottontail, just happened to be in my path. When I looked back after scaring the rabbit out of harm's way to see how my feline friend reacted to this foiled plan of his, he looked deflated and incredulous. Oh well. I'm sure Mr. Smith was preparing a fine meal for him at home.

    4.15 miles in 40:20.84 for an average pace of 9:42 min/mile.

    8 spiffy 1/2 mile intervals on the treadmill while watching the Caps finally beat up on an opposing team. Better late than never, I suppose. Pace for those 8 intervals was a steady 6:40 min/mile. I practiced relaxing and pretending these half miles were the last half miles of my marathon race.

    6 miles total in 51 minutes.

    Only two more interval sessions until my marathon....yay!!!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    Trainer

    I was feeling pretty tired today (lack of proper sleep recently) and stiff and sore (20 miler on Saturday + intervals on Monday and no yoga on Tuesday caught up to me) before this session.....but a funny thing happened on my way to racking up 30 miles on the trainer - my stiffness and soreness were spin out of my legs. I love that! :)

    Any way....low resistance and high cadence while in front of the tv.....yada, yada.....opted for no tunes.....just some ESPN news show and a little non-Caps hockey....blah, blah, blah.....wondered how Krusty would answer my random question I posed to him....got a little bored....starting doing taper math in my head......decided I was as ready as i was going to be for the marathon and it just needs to get here....wondered if dpop knew the cherry blossoms were blooming a bit early this year. Yawn......zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......

    30 miles in approximately 1 hour 35 minutes.

    ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,492 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    You post on a Boards, while using your trainer? Wow, that is nonchalant!


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    You post on a Boards, while using your trainer? Wow, that is nonchalant!

    Nope - no posting for me while on the trainer. I'm not that coordinated. I have a hard enough time working my cell phone while spinning! ;)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    Tempo Run

    Only a 5 mile run was on the plan for tonight....and the specified pace was for it to be at mid-tempo, which, after plugging in my target marathon pace and doing a few conversions and impressive math calculations (wee!), was determined to be 7:30 min/mile. Hah! This should be a snap, I said under my breath while waiting for my Garmin to pick up satellite. And what would be the harm of pushing the envelope a little in this short spin around the Greenway? Bad idea.....don't do it.....back away from the sub 7:30 pace.

    First mile was fast (7:12).....too fast, but I knew I could dial it back. Second mile was still too fast (7:19), but I was banking "fast" time. Third mile I consciously relaxed and slowed it a bit (7:26), negotiating with myself that I would ease up off the gas for mile 3 and 4, then smash it on mile 5. Brilliant! And then something happened at the end of the third mile that changed the game for me - I lost satellite. I gotta be honest with you, without the watchful eye of pace pushing me along, and because I knew I had (characteristically) tried to over-produce from the outset, I lost my desire to put out full effort. (Translation - I was tired and I had no desire/reason to keep pushing if my effort couldn't be documented.) When satellite came back very briefly at approximately the end of mile 4/beginning of mile 5, my pace was at 7:38. When satellite went dark again during mile 5, I just went into cool down mode. I was done.

    I don't really know the mileage tonight, but I'm guessing somewhere around 5.5 miles. Total time, 43:47.48.

    By the time I was finished with this session, I felt like I weighed 300 pounds and would be lucky to go a sub 4 hours in the marathon. And just to add insult to injury, my Garmin watchband came apart again where the pin keeps the band connected to the face of the watch due to the stress put on that joint from the extreme angle of wrap because my wrist is so small. I fixed the pin/joint for now, but I'll be devastated if it breaks for good between now and the marathon.

    Decided not to do any extra easy mileage in my field.....decided instead to start embracing my taper. Showered and lounged on the couch. Now heading to bed early. I'm tired. Time to rest the body some. :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,830 ✭✭✭catweazle


    Dory Dory wrote: »
    I fixed the pin/joint for now, but I'll be devastated if it breaks for good between now and the marathon.

    You should be able to get one of them handy enough on ebay - I have had to replace mine twice with the 310


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,492 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    You could try the fabric strap, which might fit a lot better, or get a replacement strap.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    Just got back from visiting my running partner, Nick - he's 70 pounds, 1 year and 3 months, and crazy fast! If only I could take him with me to the marathon....

    Nick.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,830 ✭✭✭catweazle


    You would beat him easily Dory, he would be begging for your Jelly Beans after a mile or two! I don't think there are many animals that can match a humans endurance over the long distances


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    Field Run

    It was such a gorgeous evening that I couldn't resist a short spin around the field. Headed out the door without much of a plan, but hit "start" on the Garmin and just let things unfold. My first obstacle was the bunny rabbit who was stretched out in my path relaxing in the sunshine. He saw me coming and had no desire to move out of my way, so around him I went. I did get close enough to Mr. Rabbit to know there was nothing wrong with him other than brazen path ownership. Next up was Mr. Smith's kitty who also was stretched out in my path lazily hunting small vermin, and upon seeing me heading his way rolled onto his side and back for me to fuss over him a bit. Naturally, I complied.

    It took about a mile for my legs to feel free of niggles and for me to find my field grove, but after three times around the field, and after three times having to make a wide swath around the path-hogging rabbit, and after three times having to stop to fuss over Mr. Smith's cat, I decided this session was a bust and headed indoors and hopped on the trainer.

    2.04 miles in 19:46.40 for an average pace of 9:40 min/mile.

    Trainer

    15 miles in approximately 50 minutes spinning while watching the Caps go head to head on ice with the Philadelphia Flyers. Highlight thus far (game still on...tied 1-1 in 3rd period) was Ovie's slapper into the net right off the bat. You gotta love a guy who can score 26 seconds into the game, high five his teammates, then blow snot rockets on national tv while sitting on the bench.

    Tomorrow was supposed to be a rest day, but my yoga instructor is having a class tomorrow morning that I may try to make. My body is feeling kinda yucky and I think a session of stretching and core work is what I need. I also may do a short spin on the trainer tomorrow night, but I'll play that by ear. Saturday is a 13 mile run - was supposed to be at PMP, but both beepbeep and Krusty have suggested a bit of a revision in the pace which I will comply with. With two weeks to go, all the normal doubts are starting to surface....and I'm wondering why at my age I'm even putting myself through this....but it's a goal I've set, plus I've already purchased the "26.2" car sticker, so there's no backing out now. ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    90 Minutes of Much Needed Yoga

    That's right, 90 minutes of much needed yoga. Two key phrases today: find your triangle....and....find your boat. I'm happy to announce, both were found. ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    Trainer

    20 minutes of spinning while getting psyched for Friday night hockey - Caps vs. Jets. I always feel better after a nice spin on the bike....in fact, if I think about it, each discipline - running, cycling, swimming - results in a different feeling when completed.

    Tomorrow is supposed to be 13 miles at PMP, but I will follow BeepBeep and Krusty's wisdom and do 11 miles easy and 4 miles at PMP. Not sure what order to do the easy and PMP in (do I do 11 easy then 4 PMP....or 6 easy, 4 PMP, 5 easy.....?), so if anyone out there has a suggestion for me, let it rip! :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,454 ✭✭✭ Odin Drab Firefighter


    Dory Dory wrote: »
    Trainer

    20 minutes of spinning while getting psyched for Friday night hockey - Caps vs. Jets. I always feel better after a nice spin on the bike....in fact, if I think about it, each discipline - running, cycling, swimming - results in a different feeling when completed.

    Tomorrow is supposed to be 13 miles at PMP, but I will follow BeepBeep and Krusty's wisdom and do 11 miles easy and 4 miles at PMP. Not sure what order to do the easy and PMP in (do I do 11 easy then 4 PMP....or 6 easy, 4 PMP, 5 easy.....?), so if anyone out there has a suggestion for me, let it rip! :)

    Finish strong and leave PMP towards end of run, perhaps leave a mile or two warm down, my 2c's. Enjoy the taper,you have done Trojan work.


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,704 ✭✭✭✭RayCun


    Finish strong and leave PMP towards end of run, perhaps leave a mile or two warm down, my 2c's. Enjoy the taper,you have done Trojan work.

    +1
    You really need to practice holding yourself to a slower pace, so you should do the slow miles first. Starting at PMP and slowing as you tire is easy. Running slowly at the start and speeding up as you tire is more of a test.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    Finish strong and leave PMP towards end of run, perhaps leave a mile or two warm down, my 2c's. Enjoy the taper,you have done Trojan work.
    RayCun wrote: »
    +1
    You really need to practice holding yourself to a slower pace, so you should do the slow miles first. Starting at PMP and slowing as you tire is easy. Running slowly at the start and speeding up as you tire is more of a test.

    Great advice from the both of you - thanks. It's raining here today, which is perfect to help force me to slow down. I'm thinking I'll stay at an 8:20-8:30ish easy pace, then go 7:45ish for the PMP. I know my official PMP is 8:00, but the course is flat today, so I think I can buy an extra 15 seconds because of that advantage. ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,830 ✭✭✭catweazle


    Finish strong and leave PMP towards end of run, perhaps leave a mile or two warm down, my 2c's. Enjoy the taper,you have done Trojan work.

    5.18am Jacky - are we having a sleepless night before the big day ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,492 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    Just remember that we include pmp miles in a workout so that both the mind and the body get used to running at that pace. On race day, 8 minute/mile should feel like the most natural thing in the world; like you were born to run at that pace. For the first 13-15 miles of the marathon, you should feel a little like Nick on a leash; chomping at the bit and ready to unleash hell once let loose.

    By all means, do the last part of your run at 7:45, but don't think of it as PMP miles. Think of it as exactly what it is: an easy run, with some miles run faster than PMP. A perfectly good session in its own right, and will get you ready for picking up the pace once you hit the 20 mile mark on race day.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    15 Mile Run

    It was a dark and dreary morning...perfect for the task at hand - 9 miles easy, 4 miles at a spiffy sub-PMP, 2 miles easy. I have not had to do much running in the rain, but I figured between the falling rain and having rain gear on, I would naturally slow down, thus make it easier to abide by the prescribed paces.

    It was pretty quiet for the first half of the run - basically only me and the ducks out and about in the drizzle, and I loved it. The solitude (and easy pace) afforded me the luxury and bravery of singing out load with my iPod (the ducks didn't seem to mind) and busting a few moves while on the fly. Oh how this easy pace was easy to get used to. My goal was to stay between 8:20 and 8:30 for these slow miles, and I was pretty bang on target. Relaxed and rhythmic it was - similar to the zen-like state I can get into when swimming long distances.

    I stopped at mile 8 for a quick drink and 3 Clif shot blocks...then back out again. I did make one more quickie stop somewhere around 2.5 miles into my fast set to strip off my rain jacket (I was smothering at this point) and toss it in the car. I looked down at my watch after I had gotten going again and was surprised at my pace 7:2x! Wow. Didn't really feel that fast, but okay. Then about 2/3s into my final fast mile I looked down and saw 6:57. Yikes! I've never done a sub 7 mile before, and I think this scared the bejeebers out of me and I decided I needed to slow down. :eek:

    Stopped as soon as the 4th fast mile was completed to catch my breath, then started my two miles of cool down to the soothing sound of the Foo Fighters. After the first cool down mile was done, I decided to toss off my shoes and socks and run the last mile barefoot in the wet grass. I don't have a clue why some of you run barefoot from time to time, but I just felt inspired to do so....and, if you don't count the thorny weeds I had to avoid and dog pooh I had to hurdle, it was grand. :)

    Easy splits, three miles at a time:
    8:28, 8:19, 8:20
    8:28, 8:19, 8:20 (exactly the same!)
    8:20, 8:16, 8:07

    Sub-PMP splits:
    7:43, 7:37, 7:23, 7:06

    Cool down:
    9:11
    9:59 (barefoot in the wet grass)

    15 miles in 2:04:01 for an average pace of 8:16 min/mile

    The course was relatively flat, thus contributing to some of the speed on the fast miles, but overall this was a great session. Thanks to the boardsies who helped me out with this session - both tri and running mates. It's this kind of interaction that I have immensely benefitted from and so very much appreciate. :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,079 ✭✭✭BeepBeep67


    Mighty - keep it between ditches now for the run in.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,608 ✭✭✭donothoponpop


    Great run. You'll be full of doubt's about your ability from now till race day: look back on this post to reassure yourself. Two vital points:

    1) You have the program discipline to hold yourself back initially when it feels slow.

    2) Plenty of power there after the disciplined plod.

    Perfect place to be, two weeks out. There will be doubt, tears, worries; from now until race day, but you've played a blinder so far.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    The point that was definitely driven home to me from this run is that I am a stronger runner if I do take it slow at the beginning. If I had started with that 7:06 pace at mile 1, I would have died by the third or fourth mile. Mathematically, the inequality of equal paces at different miles does not make sense, but they truly aren't equal...at least not for me! ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,704 ✭✭✭✭RayCun


    Dory Dory wrote: »
    My goal was to stay between 8:20 and 8:30 for these slow miles, and I was pretty bang on target.

    Brilliant. The first few miles in the marathon are going to feel that easy - or that hard to stop yourself from speeding up - so it's great that you can keep it controlled.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    Trainer

    28.5 uneventful miles in an hour and a half on the bike in my climate controlled basement while watching Dirty Dancing (for the umpteenth time) on tv. Somehow my little pie session lacks the punch of Oryx's 3 hour pedal-mania. Oh well. This is how taper goes, I guess. And speaking of taper and how much it sucks, I'm trying to watch my weight for the next two weeks....had picked up a little bit last week, but was back down this morning after the run yesterday and behaving myself in the snack department (for 24 hours).....so, after I hopped off the bike, I celebrated with two chocolate cupcakes. They weren't very big, but I am a happy camper right now. :D


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,888 ✭✭✭Dory Dory


    Intervals

    Yay! Only one more of these blasted interval sessions until the marathon plan is done. Woo hoo! If I never have to do another interval session in my entire life I can honestly say that I will be totally okay with that. When I do these horrible spiffy spurts, I alway think to myself, the faster I go, the faster it'll be over. !!!!

    As usual, I did this session on the treadmill to keep the pace controlled. 2 miles of easy warmup, then 5 x .625 fast miles with approximately .25 rest miles, then about 1.25 miles of easy cool down. Intervals were done as follows:

    1st, 2nd, and 3rd intervals at 6:54 min/mile pace.
    4th interval at 6:49 min/mile pace.
    5th interval at 6:44 min/mile pace.

    I really had to talk myself into this session, but I've come this far, and would feel like a total slacker if I let a few miles scare me away....so it's done. And dusted.

    7 miles total in 66 minutes.

    Typically I would have added 3 more miles to this session, but it's taper-time, and I'm behaving myself! :)


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