2012 and Beyond

I am going to start this post with a very brief “race report” as there isn’t much to comment on.  I ran the Dick Meighan Memorial 5K for the 5^th consecutive year on Thanksgiving.  This year, my wife, sister, her boyfriend and a good friend of mine all joined me.  The weather was beautiful, perfect for racing.  It was very crowded though as there were 2,000+ there for a 5K run through local streets.  I was never able to really get going and I ran a net time of 24:21 and had a ton left in the tank when it was all said and done.  I did however sign up for a “Reindeer Run 5K” on December 10 so I plan on going for a fast time in that race.  But now, on to bigger and better things!

Me & The Fam!

It’s that time of year where we begin to start planning for the New Year; Races & Goals, PRs & New Distances.  A few weeks ago I was feeling quite ambitious and I purchased some raffle tickets for the 2013 Western States 100M race in California.  The raffle goes off on December 10^th.  If I fail to get in through the raffle, I will still try to get in via the lottery next year.  If I do not get into Western States at all, I am looking toward the Keys 100M to be my “fallback” race.  I have been eyeing up a 100 miler and I feel that a year and a half should be enough time to prepare.  Part of the Western States process is qualifying.  In order to qualify, you must run one of the following: 1) a 50 miler in under 11 hours 2) a 100K in under 14 hours or 3) a 100 miler within the official cutoff.  I have my sights set on 3 races.  I plan on running one of two north face races, either Bear Mountain 50 or Washington DC 50.  Bear Mountain appears to be more difficult as well as a month sooner however it is also more local and I am still undecided.  The Second attempt at qualifying will be at the Vermont 50 in September.  For both races I will follow a basic mileage based training plan however I will have to get out to the trails a lot more.  This will be difficult as they are not exactly in my backyard however I understand the importance of specificity. 

The Goal

Another goal of mine is speed.  I have never been a big fan of speed work however I know that it can be very beneficial.  I recently joined the North Jersey Masters Running Club and I plan to take part in their track workouts beginning next spring.  I am currently running high 21s to mid 22s in the 5K.  My 2012 goals will be a sub 21 minute 5K in the spring followed by a sub 20 minute 5K in the fall.  I also plan in partaking in the NJ Track and Field Road Running Race series which will be comprised of multiple 5ks throughout the year.  Once the schedule comes out I can work the races into my training schedules.  I will post my training schedules and dates once I get them set in stone.  I will also attempt to post my weekly training as well as various race reports from my various distances.  I look forward to improving both time and distance and I appreciate any advice and tips along the way.

NYC Marathon Race Report

OK, so maybe I wasn’t properly trained.  According to my training log, my final substantial long run (20 miles) was on September 17, 7 weeks prior to race day.  I had a little bit of a knee issue and deferred my first attempt at an Ultra (Can Lake) until 2012.  So that brings me to November 6^th, NYC Marathon day.  Was I nervous?  Not really.  I have completed 2 marathons in years past.  I knew I would finish, it was simply a matter of 1) How long was it going to take and 2) How much was it going to hurt. 

The day before

The day before was not your typical day leading up to a big race.  Actually, it was everything you are NOT supposed to do before a race!  First, I had to pick up my race number at the expo.  Everything was well organized and we were in and out.  What would an early morning trip to the city be without a snack.  This time, it was a trip to the Doughnut Plant!  Three doughnuts later, I was sitting on a bus on my way back to New Jersey.  Another problem was that I had a “Haunted Hayride” trip scheduled for the previous weekend.  Because of the snowstorm, it was rescheduled to the Saturday before the Marathon.  And I had to eat before the trip so of course 4 slices of Pizza would do the trick (did I mention I squeezed in a hot dog in between the doughnuts and pizza?)  The Hayride was fun but I didn’t get home until 10:30.  And the drive home wouldn’t be complete without three burgers off the dollar menu from Wendy’s!  After that it was off to sleep, thank goodness for the extra hour of sleep I got because of the end of daylight savings.

Race Day

Like I said before, thank goodness for the extra hour of sleep.  I actually woke up feeling ok at about 4:30 AM as the buses from NJ left between 5-6 AM.  I was at the staging area for about three hours before the start and met some pretty nice people from all over: Washington D.C., Colorado, Vancouver, England & Holland.  It was nice to strike up some conversations and kill some time.  The start was jam packed with people however they did a good job getting people in proper groups based on their predicted time. 

10:10 AM and my wave was off.  My entire section of the wave was running a solid 8:30-9:30 minute pace.  (This was in line with my previous goal of 4 hours)  I did recognize however that I needed to temper my expectations based on my lackluster October.  I continued to tick off the miles through Brooklyn and Queens to the halfway point where I started to get a little tired.  I give a lot of credit to the crowds along the course as they were loud and very supportive.  It was awesome to have thousands of total strangers out there cheering for you!  Then came the Queensboro Bridge at mile 15.  At this point, I knew my 4 hour goal was a bit too lofty so I decided to walk the incline in an effort to save my legs.  My nutrition was on point as I was taking in a little water most miles and a GU about every 3 miles, my legs were just starting to give a little as a result of my light mileage in October.  As for walking the inclines, I am looking to eventually run ultras so this is acceptable right???  Anyways, I did just that and used to downhill to my advantage.  For anyone who has run NY, you know how special turning onto first ave in Manhattan is.  I was so overcome with emotion; it was the runners high time 100!  The crowds here were the best.  They really make you feel like a Superstar out there, even if you are now on pace for a 4 ½ hour finishing time. 

“All good things come to an end”.  This was my feeling about 30 blocks into Manhattan.  It is a slight incline however the extended climb got to me.  At this point I was stopping at the water tables, taking short walk breaks to drink my water.   Entering the Bronx brought the next walk break at I took a breather, walking up the bridge.  It was a short stay in the Bronx and soon I found myself back in Manhattan.  This turned out to be the biggest challenge.  Miles 22-25 really tested my resolve.  Coming south on 5^th ave before entering Central Park was killer.  I was completely gassed, my calves were tight, my quads were tight and my right hip was bothering me.  Needless to say, there were a bunch of walk breaks included in this stretch.  The crowds were very supportive though and helped carry me through the pain.  And then I could see it, Central Park.  At this point there was no turning back and the end was in sight.  Also, I was still within the possibility of a 4 ½ hour finish.  I dug deep, pushing the pain to the back of my mind and was able to clock my final 2 miles at a 10:00 minute mile pace.  I finished with an official time of 4h 25m 09s.  Not what I originally wanted yet still in line with my “adjusted goal”.

What’s Next?

This is the big question.  Do I go for speed or do I go for distance?  I am going to try both right now.  I recently put in some raffle tickets for entry into the 2013 Western States Endurance Run.  The drawing is on December 10^th.  If I do not get picked I will still continue as if I were going to run it in 2013 and shoot for a possible 100 miler in 2013, even if it isn’t Western States.  I am also going to continue running local 5ks along with my wife.  2012 I plan to take part in the NJ track & Field Grand Prix series.  I do not have high expectations however I look to improve my speed throughout the year.  My next race is a local 5K on Thanksgiving morning which has become an anual family tradition.  Stay tuned for a race report!