What's after the Colfax Marathon?

I need to finish the Colfax Marathon strong and prove hard work pays off.  I am taking over 20 minutes off my previous marathon time on the same course.  It is a hard route with some rough hills and even though it is 1,000 feet lower in elevation than my home, it is still a mile above sea level.  But what's the next step?

Assuming I don't blacklist marathons forever after this race, I want to start getting my time down to a Boston Qualifier.  I need 3:35.  I'd like a minute or two faster to ensure my qualifying time is fast enough with all the runners out there under age 34.

After Colfax I will take 2 full weeks of not running.  This is going to be hard.  I am not sure how to go from getting up at 5:00 am every day and running 50-65 miles a week to nothing.  I'll let you know if I hold it together.  During that time, I will find a trainer to help me with running specific weight training.  I haven't done much with weights over the last few years and I know that is key to helping my speed, agility, and injury prevention.  If I am going to take my marathon pace from 9:00 to 8:07, I need to work smarter and include weights at least 1-2 days a week.

I also saw major gains in my VO2 levels when I ran speed work once a week.  It had positive effects across the board, leaving my easy runs refreshing, and my tempo runs more sustainable at the desired paces.

It will be important to temper my training as I gain mileage again.  I don't want to start out too high and risk injury, but I also don't want to loose the gains I've made in the last 5 months.  I will listen to my body and back off when it doesn't feel right.  Running high mileage works for me though.  The more I run, the better and faster I get.  I am learning how to use my body efficiently and I often experiment with new techniques and form on my easy days.

The California International Marathon is December 7.  I haven't decided if I am going to run it this year or not, but I hear it is a fast course and the benefits of sea level could work to my advantage.  REVEL Rockies is another option, but seeing how it is a downhill course, I am not sure if I want to trash my quads over 5,000 feet of elevation loss.  Also, it takes place in August, which might be too soon.  Another option could be the Denver Rock 'n Roll Marathon in October.  Again, it feels a little soon to run another full, so I need to wait and see how my body feels over the next month and a half.

Here is my training plan for a 3:35:00 marathon finish.  Each speed work, strength, and tempo run also includes a one mile warm up and cool down. 

I've said all along I wanted a BQ, and I know I have a lot of work to do.  I have to bite this off in small pieces and move there strategically, learning along the way what works for my body.  However, my current tempo, speed, recovery, easy, and distance paces all say I am ready for the next challenge. 


~Roadburner

Denver Rock 'n Roll 2013

After every race, I have a myriad of mixed feelings.  Did I go hard enough?  Did I start too fast?  Should I have stayed with a pace group?  Overall, I am happy with my new PR at the Denver Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon yesterday.  I earned a 1:52:06.  Compared to last year's time of 2:01:49, I'd say that's a worthy improvement. 

Before the race. It was actually a pleasantly warm morning!

Monica, my husband Randall, and I all stayed ahead of the 1:50 pace group for the first 10 miles.  Somehow at mile 10, there was a crowded water station that forced people single file and the next time I looked up, not only were the 1:50 pacers ahead of me, but I'd lost my friend and husband in the crowd. 

My husband photo-bombed me at mile 4.  I love running with my husband and friends.  They keep it light and fun!

I didn't start the race wanting a specific time.  Start strong, finish fast.  That's it.  I wanted to improve on last year's 2 hour finish and I knew I could accomplish that goal.  If I felt good I would maintain between an 8:20-8:40 pace, averaging right at 8:30 miles.  Every time I looked at my watch it read right at 8:30.  Seeing the reality of that goal, mile-after-mile, boosted my spirits and kept me feeling strong right to mile 10.  I knew the 1:50 pace group was right at our heals starting at mile 8 and if I wanted to stay ahead of them we'd need to speed up for the finish. 

The 10th mile was at the top of a long but not very steep hill.  People were tiring out and the water station was extremely crowded.  I saw Monica slip behind me, as did Randall and I assumed they were grabbing a drink.  Then the dreaded pace flag bounced along in front of me and I became really mad at myself.  How can I hold them off for 10 freaking miles, and let them go just like that?  I surged forward as fast as my tired legs could run, but those 15 people kept pulling away slowly and I couldn't keep up. 

A man at the back of the pack kept belching out weird support-driven tirades, "Don't fade now!"  "Keep going!"  "PUSH! PUSH! You are stronger than that weakness in your knees!" "Finish strong and speed up, even if you might pass out!"  To be honest, he provided the demotivation I needed to slow down a bit.  I didn't want to hear him screaming at the top of his lungs for 3.1 more miles about how good he felt and how crappy I was suddenly feeling.  It is funny how one moment I can feel unstoppable but the second someone screams at me not to be tired, my legs feel instantly wrecked and I need  to find a cold place to cuddle up in the grass with a Tangerine Gu.

From the Oatmeal.

I put headphones in my ears to drown out the sounds of my heavy breathing and suddenly exhausted thoughts and pushed towards the finish.  Last year I felt like a complete rock star when I crossed the finish line.  Crowds were screaming, lights were flashing, music was playing, and I was smiling at cameras left and right.  This year, I am sure all that stuff was equally as thrilling, but I was focused on a ruthless lady in green.

She was wearing a long sleeved, green pullover and her blonde hair bounced in unison with our steps.  I felt boxed in and tried to move around her.  I surged forward but I was in no way racing her to the finish until she suddenly sped up and wouldn't let me by her for anything.  I found that insulting and made it my life's goal to pass her.  No success was more important at that moment.  We raced each other those final 200 yards to the finish in an all out sprint.  Why?  I don't know.  If I had that in me still, why didn't I use it to catch the Oatmeal's Blerch in that damn pace group?  Where was my fire 20 minutes ago? 
 

My husband Randall, me, and Monica

I crossed the finish line excited about my new PR and felt suddenly remorseful for engaging with that green lady.  I walked over to her and patted her on the shoulder to make amends.  After gathering a banquet of Gatorade, water, chocolate milk, bagels, and granola bars, we headed back to the car to nurse my chafed legs and enjoy some nicely stocked warm sweats and Irish hot cocoa.    

My precious Irish hot cocoa post race listening to Atlas Genius.

A Year in Review

I've been running for over four years now.  However, this is the first year that I started racing.  I remember cheering my husband on at his first 5K over five years ago thinking, "He is crazy.  Who runs that far to see how fast they can go, and then try to run it faster next time?"  I didn't understand the adrenaline and commitment.  It isn't always about winning, it is about dedicating yourself to an experience and laying everything on the table.  When you pin on that bib, you can't lie about how fast you are or how hard you trained.

March

• Highlands Ranch St. Patty's Day 5K (March 17) - I didn't run this race for time, which I regret.  Had I speed trained, I know I could have posted a better time as the course only has one real hill.  I remember crossing the finish line thinking, "Really, are we done already?"  That was a hallmark sign of not pushing hard enough.  I would love another go at this race to obliterate my previous time. (30:30)

 April

• Highlands Ranch Highland Heritage Adventure 10K (April 7) - I'd never raced 10K before, and honestly never ran any single track trails.  The initial hill climb measuring between 6-9% grades for a mile made me think of walking from the gate.  I didn't walk though, and while I am sure I could run faster if I had the opportunity to run it again today, I was proud of my 62:05 time.  I plan to toe the line next April, as I now run the Backcountry trails weekly.  (62:05) 

May

• Barking Dog Duathlon (May 12) - I heaved my giant Trek Mountain Bike from the back of my husband's Subaru at 5:00 in the morning while I watched other competitors pull their bikes from their cars with one hand.  I felt like a complete underdog and hoped nobody would laugh at my bike.  What astounded me was how friendly the other racers were.  Men with rocket bikes and time trial helmets were just as pleasant and helpful as race volunteers.  Halfway through the bike ride, a man passed me on his time trial bike, weighing 5 pounds at the very most and traveling over 30 mph.  He told me I was in the lead of the other fat tire racers, "keep it up," he said, "you're killing 'em!"  I can't describe the boost that gave my depleted energy.  I took first for the Fat Tire division, beating the men by over 10:00 and the women by 15:00.  The culture at duathlons is unmatched and the friends I made this year kept me coming back for the series. (2K 15K 5K - 1:15:50)

June

• Big Sky Duathlon (June 9) - This was my first race on a triathlon bike.  In fact, I never rode this bike before June 8.  My biking speed went from an average of 14.4 mph on a fairly flat course at Barking Dog, to 17.7 mph of rolling hills at Big Sky.  The bike ride was over 6 miles longer than the previous race and my legs were jelly by the time we were done.  I focus too much of my energy on running when I train for duathlons.  Next year, I need to place more emphasis on biking hills.  Once I I crossed that finish line,  I knew what exhausted felt like.  I wasn't ready to race again for a few weeks, but it felt good to push through a wall and finish 3rd in my division. (4K 25K 4K - 1:35:22)

 July

• Highlands Ranch Independence Day 5K (July 4) - This was the hottest and most unbearable race I ran all year.  I didn't enjoy it.  I was weakened by a horrible stomach flu the week before and the hills were so much harder than I expected.  I started out too fast and sadly, when I saw the finish line 300 meters ahead, I was too exhausted to finish strong and I walked for a few feet.  I finished at 25:03, which wasn't a bad time, but I trained for better.  I have no desire to run this race next year.  Instead, I plan to find a nice place in the shade, cheer on the spirited runners, and enjoy the parade with my boys. (25:03)

September

• Denver Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon (September 22) - I loved this race with all of my heart.  It was by far the most fun I had racing this year.  I will rock Denver next year, not for the music but for the great course and hopefully a new PR. (2:01:49)

• West Side Duathlon (September 30) - One week after running the Denver Half, I took first in my division at West Side.  The bike portion of the course tours a part of HWY 93 between Golden and Boulder.  I've driven this route numerous times while visiting Randall in college and later when I attended CU Boulder, but I gained a new respect for those hills while taking them down on a bike.  (2.4K 15K 5K - 1:15:59)

October

• Boulder Half Marathon (October 21) - I consider this race the worst of the season and I wouldn't accept any amount of money to run this again.  The water and food at the finish line was almost non existent, water stations along the course were under stocked, and the starting line wasn't corralled, which messed up most runner's finishing times.  It took a while to get over the disappointment of this race.  I sounds silly to take a race so personally, but when I run, I put everything into that race.  I want to prove what I can accomplish, and how far I have come through hours and hundreds of miles of training.  If I don't post a good time because of my own failings that is one thing, but to be held back because of poor race direction is truly unacceptable.  (2:01:57)

November

• Highlands Ranch Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon (November 10) - I need another crack at this race!  I loved the terrain, the challenging hills, the amazing runners, and completing another half with my husband.  Trail running doesn't seem as monotonous as road running.  I find myself 3 miles into the run and not remembering how I got to that point because I was so lost in thought.  That rarely happens for me on the roads.  Since April, I've made trail running a consistent part of my training because it pushes my aerobic capacity to new levels, and it is so much more fun.  I feel like a gazelle bounding over the rollers.  This race was well organized and the runners' energy on a freezing cold morning kept our spirits high.  This trail race was a nice refocusing run after Boulder. (2:07:55)

December

• Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon (December 1) - My mind needed this weekend away from my kids more than I initially thought.  It was freeing to sleep for the first time without a monitor blaring next to my head, and eat some great food while it was still hot.  I didn't have to wait on my kids for a few days or clean up any messes.  It was just a good friend and me taking it easy.  My body, on the other hand, was exhausted from five major races in only 10 weeks.  I came face-to-face with that reality at mile 9.  I will plan out the timing of my half marathons and duathlons better next year.  They were formidable distances that pounded my body.  Each race, I felt slightly less energized at the start and knew I hadn't left ample time to heal. Even though I didn't post a new personal record as I'd hoped, I will always consider Vegas one of my favorite racing venues.  Running the strip at night, with my friend Monica, was an unexpected highlight of 2012. (2:02:05)

From my first 5K, to my fourth half marathon in 2012, I changed as a runner and a competitor.  My training plans became more complicated as my addiction to posting faster times increased.  There are 6 races I would love to try again in 2013: St. Patty's Day 5K, Barking Dog Duathlon, Big Sky Duathlon, West Side Duathlon, Denver Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon, and Wilderness Backcountry Half Marathon.  Maybe some strength and speed training will reduce my times, but more importantly, I am excited to try some new courses, meet new people and see where this sport takes me.