March Madness Update
Sorry for not posting lately. I just returned from a convention in Pittsburgh in time to catch a couple of the first round games of the NCAA's March Madness. So I have one eye on VCU trying to upset Duke. Good stuff.
I managed to get a couple of runs in while away. All things considered, I behaved pretty well on the trip except for one visit to Primanti Brothers' for a cheese steak and an IC Light. Wouldn't be a legitimate trip to the 'Burgh without Primanti Brothers! http://www.primantibros.com/
I ran my first race of the year on Sunday - a half marathon in Wilmington, DE. It was a great wake-up call as race season is now within sight. I didn't train hard for the race... No speed work during prep, no taper, and my longest run of the year to that point was only 10-miles. My time was respectable, but certainly not anything close to fast (1:40:50).
So why bother racing? More than anything, for me, it's about mental preparation for the coming year. About finding out where my head stands for the challenges ahead. What do those pre-race butterflies feel like, again? Can I make a plan and stick to it with adrenaline pumping through my veins (and old men running past me)? How do I respond to the metabolic pain of racing? To the burning feet? Can I adjust my plan "on the fly" as circumstances change? I had 3 specific goals for this race. Here's my report card:
Goal #1: Run on heart rate, not pace. Grade = B+. Ran a little harder than I wanted at the beginning, but eventually dialed it in to a good steady effort.
Goal #2: Run through the water stops. Grade = B. Was able to drink water while running on all but one. I ate a gel at the midpoint of the race and couldn't down that and the water without slowing down. I set this goal to help me shave time off my half Ironman run split.
Goal #3: Do not let anyone pass me in the last 5k. Grade = A+. Nobody passed me after mile 9. Very happy with this since there were more than 1100 runners. My race times are generally much better when I finish strong, and it's pretty satisfying to reel in dozens of other runners late in a race. It also takes some mental toughness to fight off folks that are trying to run you down.
Coach P visiting Lancaster this weekend. Stay tuned for updates!
I managed to get a couple of runs in while away. All things considered, I behaved pretty well on the trip except for one visit to Primanti Brothers' for a cheese steak and an IC Light. Wouldn't be a legitimate trip to the 'Burgh without Primanti Brothers! http://www.primantibros.com/
I ran my first race of the year on Sunday - a half marathon in Wilmington, DE. It was a great wake-up call as race season is now within sight. I didn't train hard for the race... No speed work during prep, no taper, and my longest run of the year to that point was only 10-miles. My time was respectable, but certainly not anything close to fast (1:40:50).
So why bother racing? More than anything, for me, it's about mental preparation for the coming year. About finding out where my head stands for the challenges ahead. What do those pre-race butterflies feel like, again? Can I make a plan and stick to it with adrenaline pumping through my veins (and old men running past me)? How do I respond to the metabolic pain of racing? To the burning feet? Can I adjust my plan "on the fly" as circumstances change? I had 3 specific goals for this race. Here's my report card:
Goal #1: Run on heart rate, not pace. Grade = B+. Ran a little harder than I wanted at the beginning, but eventually dialed it in to a good steady effort.
Goal #2: Run through the water stops. Grade = B. Was able to drink water while running on all but one. I ate a gel at the midpoint of the race and couldn't down that and the water without slowing down. I set this goal to help me shave time off my half Ironman run split.
Goal #3: Do not let anyone pass me in the last 5k. Grade = A+. Nobody passed me after mile 9. Very happy with this since there were more than 1100 runners. My race times are generally much better when I finish strong, and it's pretty satisfying to reel in dozens of other runners late in a race. It also takes some mental toughness to fight off folks that are trying to run you down.
Coach P visiting Lancaster this weekend. Stay tuned for updates!
posted by dan kerr at 9:22 PM
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