Training update for Marathon #4

July 29 is a little over 2 weeks away and I can't wait to toe the starting line for my 4th full marathon which is the Milo Manila leg.

For those who follow this blog (are there? hehehe...), the most important question would be this:

After 3 unsuccessful attempts, will I be able to finish under 5 hours in marathon #4?

My heart says yes but in my past 3 marathons, I too was convinced prior to race day that I can finish below 5 hours. On race day, however, the marathon gods had handed out a different judgment:

Milo 2010 - 5:53 (debut PR on a hot, humid, waterless day)
Condura 2011 - 5:23 (PR)

QCIM 2011 - 5:35

WHY SUB-5?

Finishing a 42km race is a feat in itself ---for first time marathoners. But I've done this 3 times already. A sub-5 finish, IMHO, proves that you're made of something else. It sets you apart from the average marathoner and puts you into a higher level that makes others know that you take running and all the suffering and training (with stress on s-p-e-e-d) pretty seriously. It's like being a sub30 5k or a sub60 10k runner.

Above average, basically.


MILES AND MILES

Being a stats freak (don't you just luuuuv Excel? hehe), I was able to compare marathons 2 to 4 to see how my training for weeks 1-14 have been versus these two other marathons:

Based on the above stats from my training logs, the results are very encouraging that I can finish better than my 5:23 PR. But can I finish below 5 hours? That is a question that I can only answer after the Milo race.

2:30. REINVENTING THE LONG RUN

My training has been a hybrid concoction of the F.I.R.S.T. advanced marathon program and the Brooks-Hanson training program. That is, I took the speedwork and tempo training from F.I.R.S.T. and opted for the back-to-back weekend long runs that do not exceed 2 hours and 30 minutes from Brooks-Hanson's. I read somewhere that the 20-mile (32km) long run is overrated (Google it!) and that a run of 2:30 max provides the same physical and mental benefits as that of a 3 hour or 4 hour long run. This approach to the long run has helped me concentrate more on being "at home" with my planned marathon pace which often ends up between 20 to 21km at 7:00/km pace which is just outside my planned 6:45/km race pace.


IN LOVE WITH MY PUREFLOWS AGAIN

After cutting the NAV-band of my Brooks Pureflow right shoe, I am now loving my long runs again. I was thinking initially of using my K-Swiss K-Ruuz for the marathon but I don't think my feet will like it after 21km. The K-Ruuz is a very fast racing flat which made me finish 3 sub-2:20 21k finishes this year but I don't think it will have the cushioning that I may need when I go further than 13.1 miles. As I said, I'm in love with my Pureflows again, especially during my long runs. I'm not only able to keep my pace below 7:00/km for these long runs, but I'm running in them SOCKLESS as well! I love this shoe so much that I'll probably buy another one once this pair wears out.


2 WEEKS LEFT

Well I still have two weeks left to taper before the race. I need to maintain the effort and follow the prescribed paces in my training runs ---although with less miles for the week (which is good for a family man like me!). All the hard work for the past 14 weeks has been put in. 2 weeks from now, I hope to write my race update on a positive note, i.e. with a sub-5 hour finish!

Wish me luck!

So, what's your excuse?

That's Arnel Aba out of the water alongside a stunned Noy Jopson (middle) and Fred Uytengsu during the 5150 Triathlon in Subic held the other week.

Read the full story here.

HTFU!

This has somewhat become my mantra lately, especially in the latter part of my run when my mind tells me to ease off and walk. Somehow, this works for me. By just remembering to say it to myself during those very hard last miles, I forget the temptation to ease off my pace.

I just bear the suffering and trudge on.

Mentally stronger.

HTFU.

Yeah, you too should HTFU.

Too sleepy in the morning to run? HTFU!

It's raining? HTFU!

You've been running so far 2 of your targeted 3 hour long run and want to call it quits?

HTFU!!!

World Vision 21km: In the bag!

RACE REVIEW

Good

1. Accurate distance. Garmin registered 20.92km but that's still ok with me.
2. Challenging change of route. 21k races here are usually going around in BGC first before Buendia. This one, similar to Brooks 21k, started with Buendia (+ Malugay) and then around BGC last.
3. Adequate hydration. Water all around, plus bananas and sponges.
4. Nice medal. The glass medal was a different approach to the usual medals that we get.
5. Generous loot bag.
6. A feel good race since part of the reg fee went to World Vision
7. Official results were available the next day

For improvement

1. Delayed gun start. Garmin recorded it at 5:13am. As per the race organizer that I had a chance to meet after the race, he couldn't prevent the delay since they were waiting for the VIPs (or should I say, pa-VIP, hehe) to arrive.
2. It would be better if the official results included chip time, not just gun time.

MY RACE

I treated this race as another long tempo run since I wasn't able to do my scheduled tempo run earlier in the week. Of course, finishing sub-2:20 was a must as part of my marathon program for July 29th. Pre-race meal: 1 Burger Mcdo.

The hot temperature the previous day followed suit on race day as the sun was there as an extra challenge. I was able to compensate by dousing  myself with ice cold water (as in almost taking a shower) as I went through almost every water station. It was definitely refreshing that, probably, I should bring soap next time. Hahaha. Seriously, the cool water helped lower my body temperature (like a coolant to a car's engine probably) as I was able to keep pace.

I took my Hammergel along km6 and 12. I didn't need to take a 3rd gel since I was sustained by the whole banana (almost the same calorie count as 1 Hammergel) that I took along Rizal Avenue coming from Buendia (which was surprisingly quiet as I didn't hear the usual irate drivers honking their horns in disgust).

The effort throughout the race was "comfortably hard," the way one should feel during tempo runs. I was focused on not getting my average pace slower than 6:30/km and studying the route as well, i.e. holding my pace since there are several long climbs in BGC really helped.

wet from all the water dousing, but happy!

Finish time: 2:15:56 (official from runningmate.ph). It was a great run as I was able to log my fastest 21k when under the BGC-Buendia route, and 2nd fastest 21k of all time!

HIS RACE

I have to mention that I had a pleasure of joining a race with runner #4026 (Mark Casidsid as per the runningmate.ph website). As I was a little over 1km when the race started, I heard a guy announce "Excuse me, blind runner" as he and a group of Soleus-shirt runners went through. I looked carefully and found Mark in the middle of the group, running at about sub-6:00/km holding a looped rope together with his guide runner. The guide runner (different from the pic below) was barefoot btw.

Their pace was too much for me so I had to let them go. By the Buendia turnaround I saw Mark and his group still going at it. By km17, near Market Market, I caught sight of them again but this time they were walking. I'm suspecting a blow up in the pace strategy or probably the heat may have been too much for Mark. Either way, I clapped my hands and said "Good job! Good job!" as I passed them.

As per the results website, Mark finished a very respectable 2:32:20 (barefoot! Shouldn't this be a Guiness world record?!). I hope to see more of him in the coming races.

Galing mo pare!!!

World Vision Run: June 24

Yup, it's gonna be another Pikermi this weekend, my 3rd for the month of June. These 21k'ers have been helpful in getting me to meet my long run. I've come to the conclusion that running LSDs alone is not my cup of tea. I need to see other people running out there with me on the road. At least the hydration and traffic are taken cared of by the organizers. I run on Saturdays and Sundays to increase the mileage, just tinkering a bit from the Brooks-Hansons marathon training with still an aggressive Pikermi target time of sub-2:20 to hopefully meet sub5.

The World Vision Run is one that I wanted to join since I have been a part of this group for quite a few years now. I've been sponsoring a child thru World Vision. It's good to know that, even in my own small way, I get to help a a little girl out there for her family and schooling needs.

See you on Sunday!