25 seconds in 2 months
.7 mile 7:21 (yeah i dunno. my garmin did something weird)
Mile 2 11:15
Mile 3 12:25
Mile 4 11:45
Mile 5 12:11
Mile 6 12:05
Mile 7 11:42
Mile 8 11:51
Mile 9 11:17
Mile 10 11:24
Mile 11 11:54
Mile 12 11:48
Mile 13 11:25
.670 9:43 (yeah i forgot to stop my watch)
official chip time 2:34:52/ 11:48 pace
so okay... the race was kinda hilly. from what i hear the full marathon su-UH-ucked, but the half was pretty chill. my knee acted up and kinda freaked me out a bit (is still freaking me out a bit) and the beginning was rough... miles 3-6 the front of my ankles, that tendon thing, yeah, well, i don't think it could have been more painful.. but i ran through it and it was fine by the half-way mark.
i saw my parents, posed for some pics, uber-enjoyed the second half of the race, with most of the pain having taken place in the beginning, and outside of not realizing i was so close to a 2:30 time or else i would have pushed it a bit more.. i'm relatively happy with my performance.
it was, for all intents and purposes, a 13 mile training run with a medal at the end. which... thats cool!
but okay though. here's the thing.
an 11:48 pace doesn't cut it. not for a sub-5 marathon. i need to be at 11:26 average... and over 26.2 miles, we're talking shaving off some serious time.
but i'm right there. i am right. there. i'm staring at 5 hours, eye to eye. and if nothing else, this half demonstrated i've progressed. 6 months ago i was averaging 12:30 miles over this kind of distance... so just that right there tells me i'm moving in the right direction.
and i think for the first time i can look at this marathon and actually feel the intensity rising. i'm excited again.
and i'm not giving myself any excuses. i'm all in. i've got two months people.
we've got two months. two months of serious training. two months of 18, 20, 22 mile runs. better nutrition. better cross-training. more sleep.
(more protein, less chocolate. aww, sad. but serious. and lay OFF the coke already! oy.)
two months.
25 seconds/mile in 2 months.
can i do it?!
there's only one way to find out!!!!
Comments
DATE: 6:02 AM
Nice job! This course was "kind of hilly" - no it was HILLY. You improved your time on a tough course. Your plan sounds good. Congratulations!
Posted by: DGC | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 2:22 PM
Congratulations! It sounds like your time improved despite a hilly course and some injuries. So that's inspiring for the sub-5 marathon. I am planning to run my first half here in a little over a month and would LOVE to get that time :)
Posted by: lebeth | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 7:27 PM
Awesome job on the half!!You can totally break 5 hours!!
Posted by: Rae | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 7:19 PM
I'm late to the party, but way to go babe!!!You can totally shave that time if you want to, though the one you got was awesome itself...race season is officially here now!
Posted by: Wil | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 8:24 AM
excellent job lil miss rocket pants!what did you do for hydration?for my half in Moab, i used a fuel belt, and commented on how demoralizing it was for the folks trying to keep pace with me when i'd run through the water stations, they'd walk, and then they'd have to sprint to catch up.personally, on my marathon experience of none, i think walking through the water stations is destructive to pace goals.tell you what though, i'm gonna watch Boston in 9 minutes, if i see a Kenyan walk through an aid station -- i'll get back to you.
Posted by: Bolder | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 4:53 PM
awesome job on your half! way to push through the pain.keep swimming and you will watch your time drop. can't explain why but it just happens. i ran the first sub-11 mile *of my life* last fall while swimming 4-5 days a week. i stopped swimming and i lost my time...back to 12-12:30 miles. i'll get there again though. and you can too. cross train... and you'll make it!
Posted by: mipper | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 5:13 PM
This post has been removed by the author.
Posted by: sophia | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 5:57 PM
j.......email me for further chatting, the link to your blog isn't working!
Posted by: a.maria | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 10:05 AM
Awesome job! Glad to see that someone else is also a Garminite. Lay of the chocolate? Please...the is the reward for all of your hard work.
Posted by: Al Durham | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 10:35 AM
Ditto what they all said. You're going to make that goal. It's all about consistency and progress -- plenty of which you've seen.
Posted by: Heather | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 11:02 AM
sweet times, and they are only going to get better. this marathon should fear you.
Posted by: Running from my House | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 11:50 AM
Awesome! To have 2 months to train and be so close to your pace is excellent, particularly considering the pain. You MUST nurture your pain problems so they don't get worse.Here is how you can have chocolate and protein. Blend with milk, chocolate yogurt and maybe a scoop of Nestles. Yum!
Posted by: 21st Century Mom | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 11:52 AM
I forgot to mention something - your pace was remarkably consistant. That is HUGE! If you had gone out at 9:30 and ended at 14:20 you would be in trouble. As it is, you just need to log more miles and do a little speed training and you are so money, girl. YES! You can do it.
Posted by: 21st Century Mom | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 1:22 PM
Awesome job in St Louis!Just spend some time on Bike in addition to your running schedule, and you can easily knock 25 seconds off your pace.
Posted by: Rick | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 3:36 PM
Hey there. This is awesome. You've done well and your pace is consistent. Excellent.Okay. Now I am going to talk some serious turkey about your goal of 25 seconds in 2 months.First of all, in my experience and those of the people around me who are also much more experienced than I, improvements are gained through miles and consistency. You have to put in the miles. They all add up, year after year, cumulatively. You need to be consistent. Running 15 miles one week and 5 another, followed by 20 the next, etc., is not consistency.The fastest way for anyone to improve pace is to lose weight. The rule of thumb is 10 seconds per mile per 10 pounds of weight lost. To gain 25 seconds a mile doing nothing else you would have to lose 25 pounds and I don't think you can do that- you don't have it to lose.The faster you get, the slower it is to gain speed. The closer your are to your peak pace, the harder it is to get to that "peak pace." 11:30 might not seem fast, but it is CLOSER to your peak pace than your 12:30 is. So if you lost about 1:00 per mile in about 6 months, well, logic would dictate that you would have to have about 3.3 months to lost another 25 seconds, all things being equal.I am not going to lie to you just to make you feel good. I think you did an awesome job with your recent race. You need to revel in it and enjoy - celebrations are so fleeting (and I am the worst at looking at the next thing without a glance at what I've just done). You need to enjoy and not INJURE yourself - 2 months you can gain some seconds but not too much. Also, forget all the fancy schamcy. Drink Chocolate Milk after your long runs. Your body assimilates only so much and everything else is a 'feel good overdose' that is either pee'd out or poop'd out. It is what it is.If you want to chat more, let me know. I am wicked proud of you on this excellent race you ran!2 more months. Miles are consistency. And maintain maintain maintain.
Posted by: J | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 9:22 AM
How fun!!! Great race. I look fwd to your demolishing of the 5 hour barrier.
Posted by: Audrey | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 6:06 AM
wow, congrats on your improvement! it seems like you have a good program that will have you all squared away by the time your marathon comes around. i only wish i had that kind of structure in my training.
Posted by: J | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 6:42 AM
Nothing like a race to get those competitive juices flowing. Really really good job on the "training run", yea right. :) And little to no pain is be a u ti ful. Can you improve, I know you can. My very very unprofessional advice is to try to increase your mileage as much as you feel comfortable with. And do a few Marathon specific long runs where you run about two thirds of the miles at goal marathon pace. Good luck!!
Posted by: Bob | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 6:05 AM
You're a runner.You can do anything you set your mind to.GREAT job!!
Posted by: JustJunebug | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 4:15 AM
Of course you can do it, you can do anything you put your mind to. You are a marathoner!
Posted by: Jack | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 5:12 AM
It can be done but what can also be done is injury. Stick to your plan and don't do any over training for it now. 2months is a very short time frame and rest is critical. If your going to do it get your 3 long runs in (push one to at least 24-25 miles) and rest, rest and rest. Good luck!
Posted by: Kurt | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 6:26 PM
Of COURSE you can do it!! Two months, while it's not an eternity, IS enough time to improve and play good cop trainer.Congratulations on finishing your half and finishing it well!
Posted by: RunningErin | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 6:33 PM
What a great way to get that focus down the stretch. I can't wait to see you out there tearing up the pace on the runs. And you ARE going to hit that 5 hour mark. I know it. You know it. We all know it. And then it will be party city in SD. It's gong to be fun!
Posted by: Kevin | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 6:33 PM
way to go! great job on your half marathon! it was nice to finally meet you, now maybe i'll know who you are during long run saturdays.
Posted by: Katie | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 6:52 PM
You are soooo money. If there's anyone that can do it, it's you. You've got the drive AND the mindset.Go get 'em!!
Posted by: Running Jayhawk | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 6:55 PM
damn, i wish i was going to SD so I could see you come in at 4:59!!!! THAT'S HOW SURE I AM YOU CAN DO IT!!! LOOK how much you've done, how far you have come!! You are totally inspiring the hell out of me! Rock 'n roll, bring it on (um, bring it on to a.m.)!! READ YOUR LIPS! :)(Yeah, and get that knee looked at pronto. k?)
Posted by: jeanne | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 9:01 PM
I've been following your blog for a while now and I love reading it. You make me laugh; you make me think; and you inspire me to keep running. Just make up your mind that you are going to reach your goal and you will!
Posted by: Michele | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 11:48 PM
Congratulations on the great half!!! You rock!and yeah...8 more weeks until San Diego, we're all going to seriously kick it's butt!Congrats again!
Posted by: Amanda | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 2:20 AM
You are so consistent! Of course you can....and the RBF will be there to support you. YES.
Posted by: susie | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 6:14 PM
If nothing else, you are definitely on track for a PR. Whether you finish in 4:59 or 5:10, the most important thing is that you've worked your ASS off to get here and it shows in your times. Great race.
Posted by: toughcookie7 | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 6:18 PM
Two months to go and already staring at your goal. You've got this in the bag! Just don't take it for granted. Awesome job!
Posted by: Habeela | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM
DATE: 6:18 PM
Congrats, A! You're definitely running better than you ever have, and that's what counts. Not that goals don't counts, but there are big ones and small ones and the small ones all add up to the big ones eventually. I am going to go get more sleep. My week is going to HURT if I don't. Thanks for the reminder! Less than 8 weeks left!!!!!
Posted by: Nic | July 4, 2006 08:02 PM