Recently in Race Planning & Analyzing Category

The train that I take to work was late this morning and I missed my connection. This gave me some time to think a little bit about where I am headed in the sports arena this year. I have been putting this off for awhile because, with the shaky economy we are experiencing, I am a bit hesitant in making too many plans.

I have three goals that will be the catalyst for most of my training this year:

1. Complete the 100K race in Biel, Switzerland on June 11 and the 80K (50 miles) Fidelitas Night Run on June 26.
2. Complete my first sprint triathlon in Stutensee on July 11.
3. Complete the Canandaigua 50 Mile race on October 9.

The last goal will be the most challenging, both logistically and physically. In 2007 the locally famous Bopple Hill broke me to the point that I ran short of time and didn't finish. If I can make it to New York in October I will be on a quest, get ready Sis, I could sure use your support!

Heute an die weg zum Arbeit mein Zug war verspätet, so ich habe meine Verbindung verpasst. Als ich habe für die nächste S-Bahn gewartet habe ich ein bisschen über meinen Sport Ziel für 2010 nachgedacht. Auf Grund der Wirtschaftskrise will ich nur vorsichtig Planen.

Ich habe drei Zeile das wurde mein Training treiben:

1. Die 100K in Biel an 11. Juni und der Fidelitas Nachtlauf an 26. Juni laufen.
2. Mein erste Volkstriathlon in Stutensee an 11. Juli hinter mir bringen.
3. Über das Ziel bei dem Canandaigua 50 Meile Lauf an 9. Oktober kommen.

Dem letzten Ziel wurde sehr schwer, logistisch und sportlich gesehen. In 2007 vor Ort bekannte Bopple Hill hat mich gebrochen, ich könnte nicht unter das Zeitlimit an Ziel kommen. Wenn ich kann nach New York in Oktober anreisen, will ich meine Rache mit diese Berg! Ich hoffe mein Laufschwester Lara aus New York kann mir unterstutzten, ich könnte es sicher brauchen.

It's the last day of the year and I was looking over my running goals for 2009. I listed three goals, I listing them her with the results:

1) To pace my running buddy (RB) over the finish line on her first marathon. She finished the marathon on April 26 in Dresden, Germany, I had the honor of escorting her the entire way.

2) To complete my first 100K race. Done - in 11 hours and 52 minutes.

3) To run the annual 80K (50 miles) Fidelitas Night run two weeks after the 100K. Done, with a new personal best to beat - 9:02.05!

One of the major things that I changed in my training was adding back to back long runs on the weekend for the first 5-6 months. I was a bit concerned at the beginning of the year that this would be too hard on the body. I admit the training was hard, but surprising to me was that the body adapted quite well to this intensified training. I took great effort in making sure that I ate right and got enough sleep during this period, in most cases my recovery was amazingly fast.

I completed 7 marathons and 3 ultramarathons in 2009, setting new personal bests for the marathon in August (3:36:13), 50K in May (5:30:53), and the 80K (9:02:05). These were not planned, but are a good reflection of my training.

Some of my non-running goals for 2009 were to do more cycling, complete a 120 kilometer cycling tour and take another swim course. I cycled over 1500 kilometers over the summer, including a 110 kilometer tour with friends. I also completed a crawl swim course and have been spending more time at the pool over the last few months. Progress is very slow, I lack any natural talent with this sport.

One concern that has arisen in the last couple months is my weight, it has been slowly creeping up again, I'm stuck at 73 kg, 5 more than during my running season. My marathon training begins next week, I will also be concentrating on getting my weight back down.

Well time to close for now, I'm meeting friends in an hour for a 2½ hour run - I hope they aren't too motivated, I'm out of shape. About mid-way through the run I will hit the 4000 kilometer marker, almost 2500 miles for the year - much more than planned.

Happy New Year!

On Saturday I met two friends from my running club for a loop before our regular run with the club. One of the guys is training for a marathon in the spring, so we ran the 13 km (8 mi.) loop at around a 5:30/km (8:50/mi) pace. I have been running at a relaxed pace the last month or two, so this seemed quite fast - but I stuck with them. We were a bit late reaching the trailhead, so our club had already taken off for their run. When my two running mates stopped at their cars for a drink I sprinted (7:30/mi. pace) on ahead and caught the group I run with after 7-8 minutes. I stayed with the group over the rest of the 11 km (6.8 mi) loop.

On Sunday after church I went for another run, around 17 km (10.5 mi.) at an easy pace (around 10:00/mi). It was quite brisk outside, 3°C (37°F) with a slight breeze that chilled the bone - I tried to stay mostly in the wooded areas around my town to avoid the latter.

Later I spent some time working on my training plan for next year. My main event will be a 100K race in Biel, Switzerland on June 11. To build up to this race I plan on running a marathon in April 18th and a 50K on May 13th, pretty much what I have been doing the last couple years.

My basic training plan will be as follows:

Monday: 11 or 13 km (7-8 mi.)
Tuesday: Swim
Wednesday: 11 or 13 km (7-8 mi.)
Thursday: Crosstraining
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Long run 20-36 km (13-22 mi.)
Sunday: Distance from Saturday minus 6 km (4 mi.)

Starting in February I will run one of the longer runs on my hilly route. When the long run on Saturday reaches 18-20 miles I will probably move my Monday run to Tuesday to provide recovery. In March I will probably increase my Wednesday run to 20 km (12.5 mi.).

The back to back long runs on the weekend worked especially well in 2009 in preparing me for my first 100K, so want to try it again in 2010.

Another busy week has come and gone, my blogging is reflecting my training, few and far between. Life is busy and I am taking the opportunity to let the body rest before training for next year begins. My running this week has been victim to attendance at a technical communications trade show in Wiesbaden (Germany). Luckily the hotel where I stayed at had a fitness room and a swimming pool - my body did not rust away.

Tonight I am meeting RB for a run after work, we hope to get in an hour or so before total darkness sets in. Later in the evening she will join my wife and I, and several friends for dinner at a local event, should be fun!

While sitting in the train coming home from the trade show yesterday I worked out a tentative race plan for the first half of next year:

April 18: Deutsche Weinstrasse (German Wine Street) Marathon in Bad Durkheim, Germany
May 13: Westerwald 50K run in Rengsdorf, Germany
May 16?: Heidesee Triathlon (0.5 km swim, 20 km bike, 3.8 km run)
June 11: Bieler 100K run in Biel, Switzerland
June 26: Fidelitas 80K Night run in Karlsruhe-Rupurr, Germany
July 11: Stutensee Triathlon (0.7 km swim, 20 km bike, 5 km run)

New for 2010 will be at least one introductory level (Sprint) triathlon. This assumes that my swimming will continue to improve of course...who knows, maybe I will turn into a fish before next summer and tri (sic) an Olympic distance event...we should not place limits on our dreams.

Today was one of those days where everything came together during a race, the result, a new marathon personal best. This morning at the Koeerstadt Marathon in Egelsbach, Germany I improved my marathon best time by 21 minutes, finishing in 3:36:13 (chip time)! Whenever the shock wears off I try to type up my report.

This weekend I am running the Koeberstadt Marathon in Egelsbach, near Darmstadt, Germany. I am hoping that I can take a stab at a new personal best, but lately haven't been feeling especially prepared to accomplish this.

Last night I met friends at our running club for a run. As we were standing there waiting I heard a couple mention they wanted to run some intervals, so I decided this would be a good measure of my marathon pace for the marathon on Sunday. The plan was to warm-up, than run two sets of 2 km at around a 5:15/km (8:30/mi.) pace, with a kilometer cool-down between sets.

We warmed up with 3 km (2 mi.) at an easy pace, than took off. I haven't run a faster paced run for quite awhile, so let the others take the lead. We ran the first kilometer in 5:21 (8:37/mi.) and the second in 5:08 (8:16/mi.). After a kilometer cool-down we again hammered it, running the first kilometer in 5:12 (8:22/mi.) and the second in 4:50 (7:47/mi.). The latter kilometer was faster because we lost two of the ladies and I ended up in the front :-)

I turned around and picked up Birgit who had dropped back and we completed another kilometer in around 5:30 (8:51/mi.). We ended up catching and passing Josef and Walter who were running a faster average pace. When we completed our kilometer Birgit dropped back and rejoined our original group, I ran on with Josef and Walter. We ended up speeding up over the last two kilometers, running the last in around 4:50 (7:47/mi.), which is just a wee bit slower than my 10K race pace.

So what I learned from this little speed test is that I am not as comfortable at this faster pace as I was in the Spring when I was training for the 100K. This means if I want to run a personal best on Sunday, I'm really going to have to really work for it. I have neglected my speed training over the last couple months and its time to pay the piper.

On Sunday I will go to the race and start out at a pace that will get me to the finish line in around 3:45:00, if I run out of gas before the finish, then so be it. The weather looks promising, sunny and mild, it should be nice and cool at the 8:00 a.m. start. The course is a flat, two loop course, mostly on forest paths and in the shade. Last year I was within two minutes of breaking my personal best on this course, this year I have a better chance!

Tonight I am meeting some friends for an easy 90 minute run, and on Friday I will run my last run before the marathon with RB. Then it's just a question of fuelling and getting plenty of rest, we'll see how it goes!

My main goals for the year of finishing my first 100K race and running a personal best at my annual 50 Mile event were both achieved in June. I think my success was a result of adopting a five days a week training plan at the beginning of the year.

Since these events I have reduced my running, for the most part, to three times a week. I did this in part to reduce wear and tear on my body, but also to appease my wife. Admittedly I have been supplementing my training by cycling 2-3 times a week, usually to work and back - around 27 miles (43 km) round trip.

I am currently signed up for the Baden Marathon in Karlsruhe on Sept. 20, and probably will run a marathon at the end of August and/or the first week of September. I have also not ruled out a marathon or 50K race in October.

So what is my goal for the upcoming marathon(s)? In the best case scenario I would still like to improve my personal best at one of the marathons. With my reduced training this will not be an easy feat, but on a good day entirely possible. I only need to include some quality runs on the days that I do run, including running long and hard on my long run days. My core training is there, I only need to tweak and maintain!