SWBKRUN -CLOSED DUE TO TRAINING (Page 113)

Normally I'd say go for it.  If you can tolerate it then it sounlds like it may be helpful, probably more mentally than anything.  However, if you are dealing with any pain issue I would not do it.

Just to add my 2 cents, last year I did 3 20+ runs pre-IM and in retrospect, I honestly think I could have maybe done 1 and then backed it off to 18 or 16...those long ones left me mentally and physically a bit wiped out. 

I think the plan was good.  I had options on all of those long runs to back off to 2.5 hours instead of 3, but I kept thinking, the more I do, the better prepared I will be.  And probably didn't listen to my body enough along the way. 

Bottom line, listen to your body...allow room to be flexible.  You don't need it mentally, Chet, you are a seasoned marathoner and have one IM under your belt, so you know you don't need the longer ones to give you confidence.  Good luck with that arch!!!

I don't think it's important at all.  You've run plenty of marathons and you also know that an IM marathon is a different beast.  I didn't do a 20 for either IM and ran pretty darn well both times.  If it were me, I'd save the bod and focus on the bike.

I'm planning on doing my first marathon 1 July (Gold Coast) and I've been looking at "Mastering the Marathon" by Don Fink of IronFit fame.

He gives various options for cross-training and has different plans for different people based on how much actual running you think you can tolerate without injury.

The plan that seem to suit me has 3 running days: long run, speed/tempo runs and marathon pace run as well as 2-3 days of Z2 cycling (these can be brick sessions if your feeling good).

I'd like to keep my cycling progress going so do you think the cycling sessions have to be Z2 or do you think I could so some harder intervals on the trainer or hill repeats plus add a longer ride on the weekend?

This would still give me one rest day or an easy swim day.

As a straight runner this plan wouldn't make as much sense to me.  As a triathlete I get it.  I would also say that my biking helped my running, but my running didn't do a thing to improve my biking.

Hey gang just checking in... out of town this week with work but still got my run in tonight.

New terrain = actual hills! We don't have those in my hood!

Spring has sprung!!!  The grass is green, the trees are blooming and allergies are in full force so that must mean a few of us have races to think about this weekend!  Scoop please! 

Third annual 50K relay for me!  Course is a hilly 5x10K and I'm doing 2 loops.  Testing out a new strategy this time to learn better pacing on 10Ks.  I'm treating this as two separate 10Ks....First loop slighty below LT HR, Second loop above it.....goal is a negative split which I can never seem to do in races shorter than a half marathon.  My team is comprised of three other very fast guys so hopefully we'll take home the prize in the old fart category again....last year was a case of Specialty beer.    Jealous Fatty?

of course i'm jealous. 

good luck racing fools...  i'm racing a sprint.  300m / 20k / 5k.  same deal as last week, no hrm, garmin etc...  last week on the run i was able to hold on to a few seconds above my current standalone 5k pr pace (i think the course was a tenth or so short though).   while my bike itself still sucks, i'm definitely running better off of the bike than i have in the past.  i think its a combination of fitness, the EN bike plan and running smarter.  oddly enough i think these hilly courses play big role in forcing me to think about how to attack the course.  i'm also getting much better at adjusting my pace on the fly which has huge affect on the outcome.  

last weeks swim was 500m.  i held back some in the pool because three weeks ago i made a really dumb mistake of hitting the gas in the water then came out of transition only to remember there was a fairly long hill starting at the mount line.  so last week with time to transition my swim pace was 1:51 converted to lcy so i'm thinking scy without the time to transition was somewhere in the neighborhood 1:47...  25 second run from the pool.   fish,  watcha think???    am i on track? so, unless i find a really steep hill coming out of T1 this week, with a 300m swim the plan is to red line that puppy and see if i can't get close to 1:40 / 100.  i'd be pretty damn happy with that. 

i have to go to the bathroom. 

You did great last week, Fatty!!! Awesome!!

FWIW, for ME... I can't redline 300 yards, at least not given my current level of swim fitness. If I go balls out, my stroke will fall apart and I will be flailing after about 100-150 yards. So even for 300 yards, I would need to pace it just a bit. Not saying lollygag, but go out with a good effort but don't sprint from the get-go. Build into it. When you  hit the wall at 150 yards, think, "It's go time." Then give it what you have. That's what I would do, but I'm me and you're you (and there's no better you than you!).

No racing. Just sitting at home hoping that my super-sick daughter can sit up for more than 2-3 minutes by this weekend. Hoping we can stop pouring medicines in her, hoping her nose heals, hoping she can breathe a bit more, and hoping her fever goes below 101 for a change...

Oooh.  Hugs, Kyla.  This stinks!

Congrats, John.  I think your goal is very doable, good luck!!

Suzy - wow!  I think that's tough - 2 10ks in one morning sounds daunting.  Good luck!!

Here, I'm looking back over my logs from last year and trying to figure out how I tapered for Big Sur, so that I can do it again!  I do believe that today is a do nothing day.  AND, since my legs are STILL trashed from Sunday, I'm rolling with it.  Gonna make a yumyy taco-fest tonight, with my mom's chili relleno casserole.  Kid #2 is home for spring break, and my Dad will come on over to eat chili rellenos any day!  On top of that, working on whittling down the list of stuff I've been putting off until 'taper time'!!

Now that the exciting window into my life has opened, you may all carry on with your exciting existences.

Nah, I think of it as a short half marathon with a bit of a twist this time around

Think I might need to have that secret chili relleno casserole recipe....willing?

x2!! I'm a sucker for any good Mexican dish. Loves me some chili relleno! Please say you'll have a margarita with it??!!

Hope those strong legs heal up soon, Linda. Your month has been beyond incredible!! Cant't wait to see how you rock Boston!

Doc wants to see daughter today, although she seems to have turned a corner. I think we may have peaked last night. Let's hope!!!!

Wonderful news.  Sounded like she was really knocked for a loop with that one -- which is no fun for her or for you.

No racing here, but good luck to John and Suzy and anyone else racing that hasn't checked in yet.  I love spring break week.  I get to do eye exams on all of the kiddos who are off of school and in a good mood.

No racing here.  My wife and I are headed to Tokyo to visit Disneyland with two grandchildren.  

Good luck Suzy!! Good luck John!!

Good luck Suzy and John.  Can't wait to hear about your races.

I'm going to be running my first 1/2 "mary" (that was for you "soul brother").  I'm not sure if I'm excited or terrified--I guess a little of both.  The course is really hilly--I'll be either going up or down, nothing flat.  I would like to try to hold about a 10:30 pace for the first 8 miles or so, and then pick it up a bit if I'm still able.  What I really want to work on isn't so much a time or pace goal, but my mental race.  I always get so distracted by all of the people and things going on, that I have trouble finding my "zen-like" running state of mind. You know, that place you go where you don't think about how hard your breathing, or how many places on your body hurt.  So my real goal is to get into my zone, and lose myself in the run. 

Oh, and this chick hasn't had any desserts, candy, sugar, etc. since Fat Tuesday.  So I'm going to have a piece of cheesecake after the race.  And yes, I'll be enjoying at least one pint of free Bloomington Brewing Company's Big Stone Stout. mmmmm

Chili Relleno Casserole......it's my mom's recipe from the 60's, my dad's favorite, and I hadn't made it in 15+ years.  yikes.

1 can of refrieds (no size specified)

1 can green chilis (again, no size)

1 block of jack cheese (see above)

3 eggs

Spread the refrieds in a dish.  Wrap the chilis around chunks of cheese (I used pepper jack)  and place on beans.  Beat egg yolks, add flour (not in recipe, added 2T).  Whip whites, fold into yolks.  Spread on top of dish, bake at 350 until brown.

Wow.  70000 grams of fat later, truly a casserole from the 60's.  My boys loved it.  My dad bailed on dinner -which has me very worried, he sounded good this morning.  He's having a major test done Friday, I think he may be stressing, so am I.  So I ate 4 tacos.  With no cheese, since I gave that up for Lent.  Egads.

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Linda, you're too funny. Enjoy your well-earned taper. I can't wait to see you smoke the course at Boston!

Kyla - I've been thinking of you and your sick girl today. I'm glad to hear she may be on the mend, and I hope she bounces back quickly.

Suzy - That race sounds fun and super challenging. Go get 'em!

John - Redline that puppy, and rock the run again.

Jayne - You're going to do great. You're well-prepared, you have a solid strategy, and you know how to run hills. Enjoy that post-race treat!

No racing for me, but I'll be volunteering at a swim meet and then making bucket loads of cookies for a local marathon.

Good luck this weekend John, Suzy and Jayne!  Race smart!

Kyla - Hope your daughter is on the mend and none of the rest of you get that crud!  Well wishes to your family!

Edit: No racing for me this w/e.

Hopefully this weekly answer does not become Habit Forming ....  No racing for me this weekend, I think I will just go ride my bike (maybe I can break 650 miles this month?).  Good luck to all the Racers this weekend .......REPRESENT!!!

I also think it ROCKS that every racer in the MG has a solid and well thought out race plan for the weekend well before the race, it makes SWBKRUN look like we know what we are doing!!   

No racing here. Going to SF with the family 4/1 for Spring Break.

Kim where can I swim?

I FINALLY have a race this weekend! Half marathon on Sunday. I'm feeling pretty good about it except for how I will handle the weather! It's mid-50s here all week and then on Sunday it's going to shoot up to 79. We had similar highs about 2 weeks ago and I struggled through the long run, so I'm gonna look through my logs and figure out how I can cope with the heat.