TOO AGGRESSIVE

Yesterday I mentioned doing more marathon paced runs during my taper. However, when I got home from work, I broke out Daniels’ Running Formula and reviewed his taper plans. His programs go from an interval phase (which is where I’ve been lately) to a tempo phase during the last 4 or 5 weeks (don’t quote me on the length, as I didn't review further back than the taper). His workout today called for 4 x 10-12 minutes at tempo pace with 2-minute rest. Given my tempo pace is around 6:10-6:15, I figured I’d just do 2 mile repeats. I don’t know if it was the hilly terrain or what, but I was a little slow (12:38, 12:34, 12:42). I started a fourth repeat, but my legs were not responding, so I shut it down and jog in – finishing with 13 miles on the day.

Next time I do this workout I’ll have to find a flatter path. I found myself cruising down hills at 6:00 pace and then being in oxygen debt going up a hill at 6:40 pace. Daniels mentioned that running the correct pace for these workouts is very important. You don’t want to be too fast or too slow. Even if, overall, my splits were right on, the yo-yo pace during each rep is probably not what Daniels is referring to.

I also used this run to work on figuring out how I want to carry my gels during Grandma’s. I kept my race number from Monday’s race and pinned it onto my shorts. Then I pinned 2 gels between my shorts and race number. It worked out just fine, even at the faster pace. I’m hoping to carry 3 gels during the race, but could only find 2 at home. It should still work on race day.

And, of course, I’m trying to hone in on a race goal/strategy. Again, everything I’ve looked at, Daniels’ VDOT, McMillan, other on-line calculators, spreadsheet macros, etc., all point to sub-2:55. Some are even as low as sub-2:51. Heck, even my own, very conservative, “double your half time and add 12 minutes” formula (calculated from my 1:23 in June of 2002 and 2:58 in Oct of 2002) calculates to a 2:55:34.

With all that information in-hand, I want be able to break 2:55, but also be in a position to run 2:51 - 2:52. I don’t want to just settle on 2:55 and then look back and regret that I was content with a PR. Besides, I may never get this opportunity again. So right now I’m thinking about going through the half in 1:27 (+/- 30 seconds). From there I can either 1) even-split and run 2:55, 2) speed up and still run 2:51, 3) slow down and still PR or 4) blow up – which I just can’t see happening. I mean if I just ran a sub-1:22 half and I go through Grandma’s 5-minutes slower, how can that be too aggressive? I just don’t see that pace being a problem.*

*As always, this analysis does not take weather into account.

I finished May with 268 miles on 26 runs. Since I didn't double up at all, I averaged over 10 miles per run. I don't think I've ever done this for a month before.

Quote of the day;

“- No doubles. Who needs ‘em? What person with any semblance of a day job and/or personal life can continue them year-after-year? Doubles are nothing but extra clothing changes and gazings at sanatorium-white walls on creaky treadmills.

- Taking weekend zeros if I can’t fit runs between the bookends of a crazy day and not caring, crying, or obsessing over a missed run.” - Dunkin Larkin