Achilles tendonitis...

... yeah. Good timing, huh?

All that's left is the taper (1 week to go)

It’s funny how running 100 miles in seven days leaves one feeling like he didn’t do a damn thing. I guess that feeling comes from a lack of long runs and doubles, which can make a weekly mileage total climb.

Nevertheless, after cutting to 70 percent of my last week’s total I checked in for the penultimate week of the training cycle with an even 100. Shoot, I remember when that was hard.

Now the hard part will be cutting back even more, staying sharp and preparing to run 5:50s pace for 26.2. I’ve done the work, now I just have to pull it off.

Anyway, here’s the first taper week.

Monday, April 21
15 miles in 1:39:39

Tuesday, April 22
15 miles in 1:33:32
splits:
1st 5 - 32:00
2nd 5 - 31:37
3rd 5 - 29:54

Wednesday, April 23
15 miles in 1:34:57

Thursday, April 24
15 miles in 1:37:39

Friday, April 25
1st run: 11 miles in 64:10 -- first 5 in 27:54
2nd run: 3 miles in 20:27

Saturday, April 26
11 miles in 70:18
Splits:
1st 5 – 31:14
2nd 6 – 35:44

Sunday, April 27
15 miles in 1:28:30
2.5 miles up, 5 miles in 26:38, 7.5 down

100 miles for the week.

Here's the mileage I put in for this marathon: 93, 94, 90, 114, 120, 100, 109, 125, 103, 106, 126, 124, 125, 133, 131, 140, 100. That's all I could do.

As fit as I'm gonna be (2 weeks to go)

I have been told that an athlete cannot improve his fitness in two weeks time. Actually, some have suggested that it takes three or four weeks for someone to improve their fitness.

I don't know... it sounds like those people know what they're talking about.

As a result of this information, I did my last long run of the Pocono Mountain Marathon cycle today. With just two weeks to go I figured it was a good idea to pile it on one last time.

Though one cannot gain fitness in just two weeks, they sure as hell can lose it. So even though I'm finished with the long runs and the hard work is pretty much done, I can't just let myself go and go into a full-blown taper. Oh no. Instead, most of the next two weeks will be filled with easy, medium-length runs, fewer doubles and more strides.

Hell, I might even jump into a race to see how fast I can go.

But the main goals for the next two weeks is to not get hurt, maintain my strength and fitness, and to rest up.

Easy, huh?

Monday, April 14
1st run - 18 miles in 1:52:49
2nd run - 5 miles in 34:06
Last 7 days - 132

Tuesday, April 15
1st run - 19 miles in 2:03:01
2nd run - 4 miles in 26:53
Last 7 days - 132

Wednesday, April 16
17 miles in 1:50:51
Last 7 days - 126

Thursday, April 17
1st run - 18 miles in 1:55:39
2nd run - 5 miles in 33:15
Last 7 days - 127

Friday, April 18
18 miles in 1:57:44
Last 7 days - 129

Saturday, April 19
15 miles in 1:39:08
Last 7 days - 126

Sunday, April 20
21 miles in 2:14:05
Last 7 days: 140

140 breaks my all-time record for miles in a week.

Mileage weeks for 2008: 93, 94, 90, 114, 120, 100, 109, 125, 103, 106, 126, 124, 125, 133, 131, 140

Almost there (3 weeks to go)

Typically, the final full week of marathon training is something I call "Blast Week." That's where I pile on as much work as possible -- miles, speed, everything. I don't know if it's something the elites and their coaches prescribe, but I did (by accident) before the 1998 Boston and it worked out really well so it stuck.

Later that year I did an all-time best 131 miles before the notorious Marine Corps bomb out (splits: first 21 - 1:55; last 5.2 - 1:07) that I topped off with a 57:18 10-mile race. Needless to say I had just one gear in that race.

I suspect I have one gear now, too, but between traveling for work and other distractions, it will be tough to pile on as much work as I have been doing.

But that doesn't mean I won't try.

What the hell? What do I have to lose.

Monday, April 7
22 miles in 2:25:15
Last 7 days: 134

Tuesday, April 8
1st run: 17 miles in 1:50:11
2nd run: 6 miles in 39:20
Last 7 days: 135

Wednesday, April 9
1st run: 18 miles in 1:57:08
2nd run: 5 miles in 33:36
Last 7 days: 140

Thursday, April 10
1st run: 17 miles in 1:50:15
2nd run: 5 miles in 33:07
Last 7 days: 140

Friday, April 11
16 miles in 1:44:52
Last 7 days: 134

Saturday, April 12
18 miles in 1:59:18
Last 7 days: 132

Sunday, April 13
7 miles in 45:50
Last 7 days: 131

Four weeks

At this point I suppose the goals are simple: continue to remain strong and in shape, and don’t get hurt. That’s pretty heady stuff for any runner because the deep-rooted motivation of any runner worth anything is to push as hard as possible – always try to get better.

So can I get better in four weeks? Well, yeah.

I doubt I can get much stronger than I am in four weeks, but the mental part of the game and my confidence can always improve. In that regard the plan is to keep the mileage high for the next two weeks with a little more quality work (more hills, tempos, fartlek) sprinkled in before starting the 10-day taper.

Three days into the taper I plan to run a 5K. It’s a race, but I’m not going to race anyone but myself. Actually, I’m going to shoot for 15:59 on a somewhat hilly course. We’ll see…

Maybe I’m faster.

Monday, March 31
21 miles in 2:18:13 – early, early in the morning before going to Opening Day.
Last 7 days: 126

Tuesday, April 1
1st run – 17 miles in 1:54:02
2nd run – 5 miles in 34:55
Last 7 days: 126

Wednesday, April 2
18 miles in 2:00:40 – no second run… had to go to a baseball game.
Last 7 days: 122

Thursday, April 3
1st run – 17 miles in 1:51:46
2nd run – 5 miles in 35:33
Last 7 days: 121

Friday, April 4
1st run – 17 miles in 1:47:49 – ran the last 5 in 28.
2nd run – 5 miles in 36:54
Last 7 days: 128

Saturday, April 5
1st run – 15 miles in 1:37:16
2nd run – 5 miles in 34:37
Last 7 days: 135

Sunday, April 6
8 miles in 54:04
Last 7 days: 133 – most ever… beats record of 131 set in October of 1998.

5 weeks to go

I had a whole bunch of pitchy and insightful things to write here about running, but it seems as if I have forgotten what it was. Or, actually, I’m kind of written out for now after a busy – and getting busier – week at work.

One thing worth noting though is that I do 99 percent of my runs solo. I imagine that running with a group is pretty cool and might even make the whole process a little easier.

Anyway:

Monday, March 24
20 miles in 2:12:07 – smooth… could have gone 30.
Last 7 days: 123

Tuesday, March 25
1st run – 17 miles in 1:53:03
2nd run – 5 miles in 34:52
Last 7 days: 122

Wednesday, March 26
1st run – 17 miles in 1:56:59 – sloooooow
2nd run – 5 miles in 35:24 – hills
Last 7 days: 124

Thursday, March 27
1st run – 18 miles in 2:00:29 – I don’t know what this was about… I forgot to stop
2nd run – 5 miles in 35:52 – ran the last mile in 6 because I wanted it over with
Last 7 days: 127

Friday, March 28
15 miles in 1:40:21 – didn’t have much
Last 7 days: 126

Saturday, March 29
13 miles in 1:27:43 – bonk!
Last 7 days: 120

Sunday, March 30
10 miles in 68:40 – went in the city, you know, for kicks.
Last 7 days: 125