Running the Numbers

My marathon training is coming to a close, so I thought I would run some numbers.  This is a bit of nerded out run post, so I guess you can't say you weren't warned.

For whatever reason this year's training plan ended up including a lot of 12 mile runs.  My runs were usually 12.4 miles because of the routes available around my house.  I think that last run should of been 12.4 too (as it was the same path), but my garmin was a little wonky (ie I don't run through building despite the garmin reporting differently).  I'm sure there is some clever way to shave off that additional 0.4, but it doesn't seem like that would do much for me, so why bother.  I decided to include last years time too... just to show off the stark comparison.      

Date	Distance	Time	Pace
Aug 24th 2011	12.45 mi	2:39:32	12:48
Jul 7th 2012	12.40 mi	2:23:45	11:36
Aug 25th 2012	12.41 mi	2:24:40	11:39
Sep 9th 2012	12.42 mi	2:23:55	11:35
Sep 23rd 2012	12.32 mi	2:22:33	11:34

Other than an improvement from last year, I've been pretty consistent during these runs.   Holding withing a few seconds of 11:35, it's not a bad pace and quick enough to meet my overall goal of 5:12:22 (11:55 pace) for the full marathon. 

However, I've also participated in two half-marathons this year, where I ran a little faster.  Even though I'm a back of the back runner... I think the race mentality really gets to me!

Date	Race	Time	Pace
April 28th 2012	Get in Gear	2:28:32	11:19
Sep 1st 2012	Women's Rock	2:21:22	10:48

So I found this jazzed out race time predictor (http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/calculator)... 'scuse my nerdy cheer... but it's so cool!  It produces so many numbers it will make your head spin, or if you're like me you'll be tenting your fingers and saying "Excellent!" (Simpsons Reference)

McMillan's Predictions:

Get in Gear's time predicts a marathon of 5:12:37 

Women Rock's time predicts a marathon of 4:57:31  

I'm really curious about how this algorithm works.  I read about it in Marathon by Hal Higdon, and as I understand it took years of work to perfect.  I've somewhat assumed it to be the most accurate.    

However, there is also a race time predictor available at runner's world (http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/trainingcalculator), which is strictly based on a formula instead of a fancy algorithm.  I entered my race times on here too   

Runner's World Predictions. 

Get in Gear's time predicts a marathon of 5:09:41 

Women Rock's time predicts a marathon of 4:54:44  

Runner's World has me going a little faster... I guess we'll have to wait and see what's the most accurate.  

Let me be clear - these predictions make me happy! They all meet my goal (except for one which is 15 seconds shy :\).  However... 

The reality is these are just fancy algorithms and formulas.  Interesting in their science and valid in many ways, all calculations have breakdown at certain point.  For instance the Mcmillian gives me an ultra marathon prediction as well... but reality is it isn't something I could do unless I trained very very hard.  

My fair warning though is that last year, when I was messing around with race prediction widgets... and the numbers were not so kind as they are now; I did "better than predicted" - so if you use these "tools" realize that they are just that. 
_________________________________________________

What do you think of race prediction tools? 
I think they are fun and nerdy.  (What kind of Math Major would I be - if I didn't love numbers?) They give you a great idea of how you might perform, but shouldn't be trusted whole heartily   

Slowing Down and Doing Things

I'm officially into the taper portion of marathon training... and it's a tad eerie.  My mind thinks I should be running more, but apparently that's not what you do.  I read a book about it.

I felt a little sluggish when I started my 12 mile run today, and never really felt like I got out of my sluggishness... however  it was a record pace for that route for me, so I guess I can't complain too much.    

I started school this fall, and not just in the teaching sense.  I'm also taking classes.  So while it's absolutely true that I'm really happy to be able to do this and happier yet that I don't have to pay (My work is covering tuition), I'm insanely busy right now! ... or that's how it feels.  I've been getting in the bare minimum number of workouts in with regard to marathon training and I still feel like I'm still only keeping my head above water with school and work.

Whilst trying to tell myself everything is going to work out... I've been imagining a life with less to do.  I wake up, maybe I run, maybe I blog, I knit, then sew... and then I play video games.  It sounds nice doesn't it.   I also think it's funny that when I imagine a less stressful existence... I still imagine myself doing things.  I guess I'm that way or something.  The reality though is their are bills I want/need to pay and degrees I want to get and marathons I want to run.  My daydream of playing video games will have to hold off.  

So then there's today; I'm pushing the reset button a little.  Tony is out and about, so I'm doing laundry, some house cleaning, homework, and oh yeah I ran 12 miles.  I'm trying to relish in it.

Also, while cleaning I re-united with this shirt:  

Yeah, I did that.


  

28 for 28

28 marks yet another year in my time here on earth.  My birthday was Sept 11th, but better late than never I say.  I'm very comfortable with getting older; I'm a bit of an old soul anyways and sometimes it feels nice to have the number start to match how "mature" I feel.  I've always tended to bond with people who are older than me and as a teacher having a an extra year between me and my students helps garner some respect (which can be handy).  That being said, I find it odd that there is less and less of my 20s left and that my high-school and college years are safely in the last decade now.  When I was young I always spent time looking into the future and wondering what was next, but now I have more years to look back on as well and that shifts your perspective.

Last year I created 27 goals for my 27 years. You can read more detail on how I did on those here!

The tally:
Check! 15
Almost  5
Made an Attempt 1
No, not really 6

While I didn't accomplish every single one, I enjoyed creating, focusing and working toward many of them, so I figured why not do it again.

1. Run a sub 30 5K! - I'll do it one of these years! (yes! - twice I might add)
2. Run a sub 60 10K - much harder, but I'm currently optimistic (almost, had a 60:36 - so close!)
3. Finish 2nd Marathon in less than 5:12:22 (done!)
4. Get A's and B's in my classes this fall and going forward (yes, but mostly B's, oh well)
5. Research appropriate grad programs (I pretty much know what I'm doing here)
6. Make connections and new friends at school (I'd say so, actually ran into some old friends too)
7. Complete the Rubik's Cube (yes, but I needed help, still not perfected)
8. Learn how to do strength training (yes!)
9. "Strength Train" (yes! - a modest effort, but yes)
10.  Do an Olympic Distance Triathlon (not quite, did a longer than sprint tri though)
11. Eat at one new restaurant a month. (no, and this one was easy - lol)
12. Try an ethnic cuisine I have not before. (I did, I think it was peruvian)
13. Learn how to make ice cream (nope!)
14. Keep the blog "updated"(pff!)
15. Do a blog giveaway (nope!)
16. Continue to grow blog readership (doubtful)
17. Get better at Writing Thank you notes (better, still sort of a needs improvement thing)
18. Volunteer once per month (yes)
19. Remember Birthday's. (bettter)
20. Bake something for my coworkers (nope!)
21. Have friends over for food semi-monthly (close)
22. Accomplish a small sewing project (pff!)
23. Read a couple fiction books (not audio, not blogs, not non-fiction - I do plenty of that already!) (pff!)
24. Seek out Live Music (I think so, though the bf helped a lot with this.)  
25. Organize/Update iTunes selections (pff!)
26. Seek out professional development (I have a conference in mind) (I looked into this conf, but it was both a work scheduling challenge as well as difficulties in getting funds.)
27. Learn more about public policy (I've paid more attention to politics, most of what I've learned depresses me)
28. Move Successfully. (done!)

It's hard to specify 28 goals! Good practice, but hard.  A lot them ended up having vague terms like better and more, I thought about ways I could quantify them, but in some cases I would really be okay with simple realized improvement (nothing more/nothing less).  I have a few "life" categories represented here.  Fitness goals, those were in someways the easiest to make, because they are so easy to quantify.  Academic and Professional goals, I've decided to take the steps necessary to pursue my long awaited dream of going to grad school, which involves taking some undergrad courses first.  Blog goals, I want keep the blog active, but I know with my school pursuits I have to be realistic.  Also, longer post needed, but I will have to move in December, so I think that will be really hard.  Moving isn't really my thing, I'm not very organized like that, so wish me luck!

Marathon - The book and my thoughts

The Twin Cities marathon is exactly one-month away, which seems like an ideal time to talk about what I've been doing to train.   As you know, this will be my second marathon and a primary reason I'm doing this again has been to do it better.  I may also be addicted to running.  My desire for improvement partially comes from my thinly veiled perfectionism, but also because I went into the last marathon pretty naive.  I thought it would be like any other long race (hint: it's not), and while I walked away from the marathon very proud, and I still am, I was also walking away with a distinct hobble.  This year I want to finish strong (though the hobble part might be inevitable)

To improve my performance this year I first needed to gain some knowledge.  The easiest/cheapest way to gain knowledge is by reading.  Welcome: Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide: Advice, Plans, and Programs for Half and Full Marathons  by Hal Higdon

Marathon manages to deliver a bulk of marathon training information, while remaining an enjoyable and entertaining read.  Hal Higdon has both established himself as a reputable marathoner, with 111 marathons participated, as well as a great writer.  In addition, Hal Higdon does not just rely on his own personal experience but relies on research provided by various higher learning institutions as well as data from surveys of marathon finishers.

There are many touch-points that I could reflect on in the book, but I thought I would take five to reflect on discuss how I'm trying to implement those ideas.

1. Consistent Running
Higdon encourages running often; as often as is possible without injury.  With respect to that I've tried to maintain never going more than 72 hours without a run, a metric he recommends, and a doable one for me.  At one point this meant, throwing in a short 1.6 mile run on an otherwise very hectic day.

2. Nutrition
While nutrition cannot replace good training (read running itself), it is important, and carbs are the name of the game.  Increasing your carb intake hardly seems like an important mandate in our carb saturated American diet but with the popularity of such diets like Atkin's and low carb rhetoric - it's a statement worth making.  Carbohydrates are a source of fuel, and if you are about to be running 26.2 miles you are going to want some fuel.  However, consuming more carbs doesn't necessarily  mean indulging in endless pasta and cake.  Carbs should be complex.  This means not just whole wheat, but bananas, other fruits, lentils and sweet corn.  Though carb intake should be increasing fat intake should remain low.  So throw out the greasy pasta (or keep it to a minimum) and bring on the bananas!  

3. Rest
So Running a lot is good, but rest is still a part of the process.  Higdon talks about the many negatives of over training ranging from decreased running performance, increased chance of injury and lower libido.  He talks about warning signs of over-training and how to make adjustments.  I usually pretty happy to take a rest day, it is rest after all, but when I was training for both the tri an marathon at the same time I did experience some signs of fatigue. Luckily, I was usually able to find a way to recoup, sometimes that meant a full rest day, sometimes just toning down the workout.

4. Drop back week
The idea of a drop back week is well known among experienced marathoners, but I was unfamiliar it last year as I was training.  I ended up unwittingly instituting drop back weeks out of sheer exhaustion.  This year I had things planned out that way from the get go, which has consequently allowed me to have more and better long runs over all.

5. Speed Work
Higdon discusses many options for incorporating speed work into your marathon training regimen. He also warns that too much speed work or introducing speed work as a novice runner is not always a wise idea due to the possibility of injury.  While I've been slow to implement any sort of consistent speed work into my training, Marathon did give me a lot ideas about how to get started and things to try, and made the idea of speed work seem less daunting and mysterious.  

I recommend the book and enjoyed reading it cover to cover.  It also includes inspiring marathoner stories, thoughts from Olympic marathoners and logistical advice on how to prepare for race day.

Check out Hal Higdon's site for access to free training plans for many different race distances as well as forums where Hal himself gives training advice.  

I purchased the book Marathon by Hal Higdon myself and wrote this review completely of my own volition.      

WOMEN ROCK - Half Marathon

This race epitomized why I sign up for races.  The energy, the swag, the friends, the Champagne!!! at the end! Not gonna lie - this race had it all!

Oh and there is one more reason I like to race... because it pushes me to go fast.

My goal was to PR, but I wasn't sure if that would happen.  My training runs have been slower than the required pace.  When I started, I was cruising and I thought for sure I was going to BONK and be hurting by the end... but I basically maintained (a little slowing down) and came through the finish chute strong!

Time: 2:21:22  

This is a 10:48 pace... which is a better pace than my 7K this spring, and more than twice the distance.   Also, for the first time that I can remember I passed more people than passed me.  Yippee!

Seriously, I'm really feeling way too good about myself right now, feel free to take me down a notch.  

I guess I could add I'm still in the back half for my age group, but it was just barely this time.  46th percentile for the numbers people, but that doesn't feel so bad anyway.  

Picture credit to Kelly

The WOMEN ROCK race was an excellent experience and the race organizers and volunteers were really awesome. ... and the swag was excellent!!

Picture credit to Nora.