Congrats on a fantastic race, wilked! You got some talent to run like that on so little training, hombre.![]()
What is your lacate threshold and where have all your long runs been at heart rate wise?BnB and Steve - Maybe it was nerves but I would have thought that would have settled as the race progressed. I don't remember HR being excessively high walking around in the start corral.
Steve - I really doubt the cold hurt me. If anything, I thought it was a little too warm! I've had plenty of practice running in the cold.
BnB- About nutrition, I focused on carb heavy foods for a few days before the race. I didn't snack as much as if I were home before a marathon, though. That might have hurt me some. Race morning I had a bagel about 3 hours before and a package of PowerBar gummy chews about 20 minutes before. During the race, gels during miles 5, 11 (forgot at 10) and 15. Switched between gatorade and water at stations about 50/50.
I'd love to know this too, being I have a long term dream of a BQ. Philly has turned into my home course. The Manyunk section at mile 19-20 ####s me up every time.Nice report, wilked. How did you find the Philly course compared to Boston. I ran the flat Philly half but heard the Marathon got on some more hilly terrain.
LT is probably about 170 (not 100% positive). Most of my long runs are in the 130s to 140s. I realize my HR was too high for that distance.What is your lacate threshold and where have all your long runs been at heart rate wise?BnB and Steve - Maybe it was nerves but I would have thought that would have settled as the race progressed. I don't remember HR being excessively high walking around in the start corral.
Steve - I really doubt the cold hurt me. If anything, I thought it was a little too warm! I've had plenty of practice running in the cold.
BnB- About nutrition, I focused on carb heavy foods for a few days before the race. I didn't snack as much as if I were home before a marathon, though. That might have hurt me some. Race morning I had a bagel about 3 hours before and a package of PowerBar gummy chews about 20 minutes before. During the race, gels during miles 5, 11 (forgot at 10) and 15. Switched between gatorade and water at stations about 50/50.
Congrats on a fantastic race, wilked! You got some talent to run like that on so little training, hombre.![]()
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Very well executed race.
Philly hills are earlyI'd love to know this too, being I have a long term dream of a BQ. Philly has turned into my home course. The Manyunk section at mile 19-20 ####s me up every time.Nice report, wilked. How did you find the Philly course compared to Boston. I ran the flat Philly half but heard the Marathon got on some more hilly terrain.
Elevation charts are deceiving. The hill at 9 isn't a big deal since you're still fresh. Manyunk gets me every time. It doesn't look like much here, but I'd gladly run the bigger hills at the beginning vs. the shorter/steeper hills at 19-21.Philly hills are earlyI'd love to know this too, being I have a long term dream of a BQ. Philly has turned into my home course. The Manyunk section at mile 19-20 ####s me up every time.Nice report, wilked. How did you find the Philly course compared to Boston. I ran the flat Philly half but heard the Marathon got on some more hilly terrain.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7EXNozyWWpQ/UKrQ3PAZXUI/AAAAAAAABcU/nNqmpr0wqWE/s1600/philadelphia+marathon+elevation+profile.png
Both about 100 foot rise. I don't remember them being anything notable, but I didn't know #### about #### then either.
and also managed to get in the wrong porta-potty line (it was some line to get your picture taken in front of a poster or some ####) and waste 10-15 minutes
. No worries, I got to my corral 10-15 minutes before the race started and placed myself at the back. (sorry Bnb, Sand, etc... it would have been impossible for me to go with "Plan B" at this point, no one was moving to let other people get to the front anyways) Start - I realized I must have started at least in the middle of the corral last time as it took me 20 seconds to cross the starting line this time (in 2010 it was only 10s for me). I stick to my plan and stay on the left side of the road. I am getting passed left and right by runners from the 2nd corral this whole mile. Mile 1 - 6:14 - I ran this mile in 6:02 last time and had planned a 5:55-6:00. Oops. I figured I just need to run the rest of the race 0.5s/mi to make it up. Whatever.Mile 2 - 5:48 - Settled into a comfortable rhythm here, did notice that my quadriceps are a little tight already though. Weird.Mile 3 - 5:455K - 18:22To be honest I wanted to run 18-min 5Ks, but I knew I had a slow first mile so I didn't really care at this point.Mile 4 - 5:41Mile 5 - 5:54Mile 6 - 5:4910K - 36:22I did some quick math and knew I was on pace for 2:33-2:34. My quads still haven't loosened up though so I decided to just take whatever I can get while running comfortably.Mile 7 - 5:51Mile 8 - 5:57Mile 9 - 5:4615K - 54:35This split meant nothing to me. I just keep on cruising along at the same effort as I have been keeping since mile 2.Mile 10 - 5:56 - This is when I realized I was running the same pace as 3 years ago and my legs were feeling a LOT worse. I was breathing as hard as I do on a faster easy day, but my legs felt as heavy at this point as they usually do at 23-25 miles.Mile 11 - 5:56Mile 12 - 5:5720K - 73:09There was a nice downhill stretch around Wellsley that was the beginning of the end for me. My legs are tight enough at this point that I had to slow down on the downhills.Mile 13 - 6:06Halfway - 77:19First thought at this point: "Argh, I am 30s slow than my 2010 split". 2nd thought was "where is that $20 bill I usually keep in my pocket for days like this... oh that's right I packed it in my gear check bag by accident...". I decided to tone it down a notch or two and see if I can stop the legs from getting any tighter, see what kind of times my legs are giving me and come up with a new goal in a few miles.Mile 14 - 6:16 oh that's not bad.... maybe I can still break 2:40.Mile 15 - 6:26 damnit how steep are these downhills?25K - 92:50 "Hey, I can almost start doing the countdown from 10 miles to go in a little bit"Mile 16 - 6:39 this was supposed to be the fastest mile on the course with the steep downhill. I took short choppy steps to save my quads.Mile 17 - 7:59 I cruised up the first Newton Hill fine, this actually helped stretch out my quads a little. I got to the top of the hill, saw the backside and muttered FML. I decided to hop in a porta potty to take care of some business. When I came out a minute or so later my friend was running by and yelled out at me. Apparently he was tightening up too and talked me into running with him for a bit. He is a 2:46 guy shooting for a sub-2:40 so I did some quick math and realized he still at least had a small shot at a PR.Mile 18 - 7:10 I grabbed 3-4 gels and some water to pass to my buddy when he needed them. I was pretty much acting as an impromptu pacer now.30K - 1:55:35Mile 19 - 6:59 We start high-fiving kids on the side of the road and try to enjoy the race. I think I had a banana from a spectator and took some bottled water too. I thought people had barbecues along the course... could really go for a juicy burger or hot dog right now.Mile 20 - 7:25 - Really just trying to relax and enjoy the rest of the race now.Mile 21 - 7:46 We started climbing a hill at 20.3 and when we crested it I think my garmin said 20.7-20.8 My buddy and I were confused and had a quick discussion on whether we had just gone up Heartbreak or if there was a bigger hill ahead. I saw the downhill on the backside (this was where my quads/hamstring locked up on me 3 years ago) and told my friend to go. I was taking it nice and easy down this thing.35K - 2:18:53 Mile 22 - 7:35 whew, made it to the bottom without cramping this time.Mile 23 - 8:21 FML there's another downhill... screw it I am walking this one... not going to get a cramp this time. Some woman on the side of the road handed me a bottle of powerade (unopened), I thank her after taking it and sipped on it every couple of minutes until I ditched it around mile 25.Mile 24 - 8:40Think I took another 90s walking break this mile too, I am really hating downhills now.40K - 2:44:29 I had hoped to be done about 10 minutes ago, but at least I don't have that much left.Mile 25 - 7:45 An elder woman passed me somewhere this mile I think. I later found out it was 1984 Olympic champion Joan Benoit Samuelson with a new American age record. (55/Female) I remembered being offered beer on this stretch last year so I stay pretty much right next to the curb instead of running tangents. No beer offers this year though. :(Mile 26 - 7:07 No more downhills! I then wonder how close Juxt and Gruecd are behind me or maybe they had already gone by.Last .22 - 1:39 Why is this last stretch so much longer than I remembered last time? I was surprisingly okay with everything when I crossed the finish line. I did a lot of thinking and reflectingthe last 10 miles of the race and had changed my mind from "never running another marathon, or just never running another Boston" to coming back and racing this damn thing until I finish in the top 100 / broke 2:30. I remembered the promise I made to myself at mile 24 3 years ago (to quit marathons) and knew that even if I made a similar promise today there was no way I was going to stick to it. So that's it, we're doing this again in 362 days.Curious about that too, or if a top runner like you is in tune enough to not 'need' the monitor. Anyway - amazing speed ...super impressive!Too bad about the quads, Steve. Seems like everything else was clicking for you. Do you ditch the HR monitor for races?
Biggest surprise once my quad was tightening up was just how bad any downhill was hurting me later in the race.Nice writeup, Steve. Holy crap if the downhills on a marathon F people up that bad, I can't imagine the uphills for me. I usually look forward to downhills but I guess not in a Marathon.
Not much too add to what others have said - just sounds like, based on your HR, you went out too hard and ended up bonking early.BnB and Steve - Maybe it was nerves but I would have thought that would have settled as the race progressed. I don't remember HR being excessively high walking around in the start corral.
Steve - I really doubt the cold hurt me. If anything, I thought it was a little too warm! I've had plenty of practice running in the cold.
BnB- About nutrition, I focused on carb heavy foods for a few days before the race. I didn't snack as much as if I were home before a marathon, though. That might have hurt me some. Race morning I had a bagel about 3 hours before and a package of PowerBar gummy chews about 20 minutes before. During the race, gels during miles 5, 11 (forgot at 10) and 15. Switched between gatorade and water at stations about 50/50.
I'm familiar with that first sentence! You're much faster than me, though! Contrats on a great race, and loved the write up.I like to think it is mainly a high pain tolerance / threshhold. I would like to properly train one of these days though!
I did that before the Chicago Marathon but never before my other marathons. Perhaps I shouldn't. I just thought it would be good to start off with a little caloric energy. You guys have much more knowledge than I am on nutrition issues.Not much too add to what others have said - just sounds like, based on your HR, you went out too hard and ended up bonking early.
Do you usually down sugar 20 minutes before? I'm with you on the 3-hours before (at least 2 for early races), but I totally avoid carbs right before the race, buying into the theory that the insulin spike triggers your body to start relying on primarily glucose from the get go at the expense of fat burning. Of course my paces are slow enough that I can rely on fat, probably not the case for you fast marathon guys.
It got so twisted on Monday that I was looking forward to the uphills because they helped stretch out my quads.Nice writeup, Steve. Holy crap if the downhills on a marathon F people up that bad, I can't imagine the uphills for me. I usually look forward to downhills but I guess not in a Marathon.
And so it begins......... so the prospect of running a 50-miler doesn't seem as daunting. (I just know I am going to eat these words, maybe I'll start with a 50K)
I have a confession about the HR thing... I don't use a heart rate monitor at all.
They may be fast, but they don't have the stamina like you and me.And so it begins......... so the prospect of running a 50-miler doesn't seem as daunting. (I just know I am going to eat these words, maybe I'll start with a 50K)
In all seriousness, we've been seeing the beginnings of the younger, fast marathon guys moving up to ultras over the past year or two. Guys like Max King (2:14:36) and most recently Sage Canaday (2:16:52) are tearing things up as they move up in distance. Both have indicated they won't tackle a 100 miler this year, but may do so in 2014. As a fan of the sport, I hope so!
They may be fast, but they don't have the stamina like you and me.And so it begins......... so the prospect of running a 50-miler doesn't seem as daunting. (I just know I am going to eat these words, maybe I'll start with a 50K)
In all seriousness, we've been seeing the beginnings of the younger, fast marathon guys moving up to ultras over the past year or two. Guys like Max King (2:14:36) and most recently Sage Canaday (2:16:52) are tearing things up as they move up in distance. Both have indicated they won't tackle a 100 miler this year, but may do so in 2014. As a fan of the sport, I hope so!
local news but it was still excitingGTFO!just heard gruecd on Fox news this morning, via cellphone
Both parties to this transaction need to be beaten to a pulp. In particular, who the hell would buy this?
What about this? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Boston-Marathon-2013-Sam-Adams-beer-opener-/130890864791?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e79b41897SteveC702, on 17 Apr 2013 - 19:23, said:
Argh... seriously?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2013-Boston-Marathon-Finishers-Medal-/300891530562?pt=Vintage_Sports_Memorabilia&hash=item460e886542
Yeah, I followed 18/55 last year when I was training for Twin Cities. I'm not doing a marathon this year, but I learned a lot for Pfitzinger's general approach to running and I incorporate a lot of that stuff into my regular routine.Ivan good to hear you had a nice bounceback run. Just out of curiosity are you a Advanced Marathoning follower too? (I know/think Gruecd and Juxt are). Thanks for the compliment but like I said I feel that I still have much to learn about marathons and welcome advice/suggestions from runners at all levels.
They should let anyone with a 40K split who was prohibited from finishing have a medal if they want one. Honestly, who would be against that? If ever there is a reason to make an exception to the rules, this is it.sho nuff, on 18 Apr 2013 - 08:04, said:
And with all the ebay stories we have at least some good out there...
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/04/17/boston_marathon_bombings_runner_tries_to_find_couple_who_gave_her_their_medal.html
I posted that article on FB page this morning, nice to see there is still hopeThey should let anyone with a 40K split who was prohibited from finishing have a medal if they want one. Honestly, who would be against that? If ever there is a reason to make an exception to the rules, this is it.sho nuff, on 18 Apr 2013 - 08:04, said:
And with all the ebay stories we have at least some good out there...
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/04/17/boston_marathon_bombings_runner_tries_to_find_couple_who_gave_her_their_medal.html
Also, after reading that article, I wonder how many of the ebay bidders for medals are people like her.
For me the open 400m I would go all out and hope to hold on. Worked well for me.That is disgraceful that people are selling th BM stuff.
2Young, first of all, congrats to your son and you. He is certainly a talented young man. I never ran a 400m that fast as a frosh (i think i ran 57.5 range) and by senior year I ran a couple sub 50 relay splits. If he ran a 56.10 open 400 and then came back with a 58 relay split, that tells me he has some great natural speed but has to work on endurance. Your relay splits are typically a half second faster or so since you run them from handoffs with a running start. Could also be that he's a novice and getting used to pacing. The 400m is an interesting race, especially in relays since you get sprinters moving up and mid distance guys moving down for the event. My strategy was always to maintain good form on the curves and use the end of the curve sort of like a sling shot to really get up on my toes and dig on the straightaways. Unless you are in lanes for an open or a leadoff 4x400 leg, I tried to not try to do much passing on the curves unless I really got behind someone slower. Because a 400m even more than the distance races, going wide on the curves to pass is adding distance. May not seem like a lot, but if you're running 405 or more meters instead of 400 it can make a difference. Especially if your son gets down to the times I think he can. I tended to run the 400m about even or even a negative 200/200 split. But a lot of sprinters going up tended to go nearly all out early and hold on.
For workouts, I think the 6 or 8 repeats of 200m that I had mentioned before is a good workout for the 400m. For a 400/800m guy, I'd do 200 and jog rest the 200m in between so you don't fully recover. 400m specialists, though, tend to take more rest, maybe even walk the first 100m and slow jog the 2nd 100m.