Ironman Time

Feeling pretty good post BQ3. Time for Ironman training! It is going to be a lot of fun. Everyone should be doing this.

Thanks to RCK for the birthday socks. Love them. So far 47 is awesome.

Ryan - USA Triathlon Collegiate Nationals

Congrats, RCK.  You smoked it.  In particular your run was amazing.  Wow!!!!!

http://jms.racetecresults.com/MyResults.aspx?CId=16370&RId=132&EId=4&AId=116197

Marriott just got posted

Booking Marriott….Michigan runners like that I hear.

Book now.

https://aws.passkey.com/event/13833613/owner/2559759/list/hotels

Boston 2016 Hotels

Marathon Tours opened up hotels for 2016 today…..

Michigan runners like the Hyatt Regency.

Salazar Quote

Saw the quote below in the early Boston training stages and thought, "Yep, that's right."

"If you want to achieve a high goal, you're going to have to take some chances."
-Alberto Salazar

Like some of you, I took my chances and went for it this year. I got a hammy for it.

#Boston2016 #myyear

The 2015 Boston Marathon Race Report

I am a strategist….or at least that’s what I aspire to be.

When I started this training cycle, I had some hopes and dreams for the outcome of Boston 2015...namely, I wanted to crush it and run sub 3 hours …or as a secondary goal, run 3:05 (7 minute pace).  

Let’s break down the race day data...and see what happened.

• Time:  
• 3:13:56 (new PR by 35 seconds)

• Heartrate:
• Average HR:  155 (right in the middle of the sub-threshold zone), same HR as 2012 Lansing Marathon (flat, flat, flat), which yielded a 3:19 time.
• First 30 mins average HR: 155
• Last 30 mins average HR: 157
• Upshot:  Good, even, reasonable….probably could push it harder 

• Cadence:
• Average cadence: 176
• First 30 mins average cadence: 174
• Last 30 mins average cadence: 178
• Upshot:  Good, but I do have a sense that focusing more on form might make sense. Need to investigate this more.

• Nutrition: 
• Ate about 1000 calories before the start: two bottle Ensure, bagel, almond butter, Gatorade, Red Bull…my typical pre marathon/Ironman nutrition
• Clif Bloks (100 calories) every five miles
• Saltsticks every five miles
• On course Gatorade and/or water often (75% of aid stations)
• Upshot: worked well on this event

Success and Race Day Decisions

Any day you run a PR is successful, right?!  I cut off 35 seconds. At Boston.  That equals success.

But I didn’t meet my race day goals.  I trained for 3:05 or faster, but really wasn't close to that.

So what happened?  Why so far off?  Here's what happened:  I made a decision before the race to back off my seven-minute goal pace.  I did this because of the hamstring injury I had been struggling with over the last two months, and a bit of self-doubt in the days before Marathon Monday. I made the decision in the interest of my “best bet” at running 3:10 or better, I decided on the following steps:

1. Start the race slower and establish the hamstring was going to be OK.  On race day, I went out at 7:24 and the hammy felt good.
2. Work my way into a 7 minute pace if it felt OK…but most of all, listen to my body even if it meant going slower than 7 minute pace.  Turns out that on race day this pace came in at 7:15.
3. Arrive at mile 16 (start of Newton Hills) and don’t push too hard through the next five miles with hopes of a strong finish.  I averaged 7:36s through these five miles with an average HR of 157……this is a strong data point, I think.
4. Hope to be strong at the top of Heartbreak and fly into the finish.  I averaged 7:35s in this five mile section with and average HR of 157.  Given that average HR I could have pushed harder.  Five beats higher is easily within range for me.  However, just like last year, my quads were hurting so much that running even a slight downhill was painful.  I ran a 7:24 at mile 22 and had some thoughts of it continuing, but mile 23 to 24.5 (all downhill) wasn’t going to have it.  Painful.  A slight uphill and I could have gone faster. It is what it is. I just dug in the best I could and got through it.

How I dream of being strong at the top of Heartbreak.  Probably next year. 

I didn't meet my race day goals; I made strategic decisions in order to have my best race.  I ended up with a marathon PR.

For Boston 2016 Training:

And last, the bigger picture: Running and triathlon continue to fulfill important needs: fitness, friendship and fun in the forties!  I really love this ride, and I'm glad you are on it with me.  Next: triathlon season begins!

• More downhill running at race pace.  I did much better on this than in 2014, but more is needed. 

• Gotta build muscle.  I’ll be 27 this weekend, I mean 47. It makes sense to maintain and/or increase muscle mass.

• Keep the Hansons plan. 

Sincerely,

K. Karr

Strategist

Oral Surgery Update

Home after a visit to the neighborhood oral surgeon today (which I intentionally scheduled after Boston - no breaks in training).

Doc says no exercise for a week. What? Do you think he was serious?!! He didn't even ask if that would be OK. #rudedog

The Morning After ... First Thoughts

Feel lucky to have been able to run The Boston Marathon these last two years. Thanks for all the Facebook support and encouragement. Appreciate you all...looking forward to next year already.  Hope you are too.  I'm going to figure out how to crush this course...haven't done it yet.

A short video showing what things were like late last evening:

Did I Mention Nothing Was Going To Stop Me Yesterday?

Note to self: don't wear those socks for long runs again....they don't come up high enough to prevent chafing, rubbing, or tissue loss. I may need a transplant for the lower Achilles area...actually had no idea I was bleeding until I got back to hotel after race.

Great Day!

Enjoyed the day tremendously and feel so fortunate to be here.

Also thankful to be a part of the running community and be around so many really good runners. Super impressed with those who dug deep today. Wow. One word: GUTS.

Full race report later. Until then, I will just say I ran a smart race given the situation.

About to go to bed after not leaving the hotel restaurant since getting here at 2:30. Fun times with fun friends.

It's Go Time

Final Thoughts

It is all about what you make it....

- This training plan started in the middle of December.
- 573 miles running
- 300 miles on the bike (due to that hammy issue)
- Almost every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday have been tough workout days since then the start.
- On a few of those Thursdays I was on the treadmill by 5:30 AM.

Upshot:
Tomorrow is going to be a great day. :-)

Great Day / In For The Night

The course tour was well worth it for a Boston novice like me. Even though I ran last year, it was helpful to be on course today and remember what I experienced last year. It was fun to be on the course with S too, so she can see what I'll see tomorrow.  

Towards the end of the day we hoofed it to Faneuil Hall and picked us some necessities :-) 

Last, on this eve of the 2015 BM, I want to give thanks. As I think about the last six years of working to be more fit and healthy, it is marked with encouragement, happiness and lots of friends/family. I'm so fortunate. 

I'm in for the night. I hope everyone who is racing has a great experience tomorrow. I may post a pic of the race kit in a bit.

Victors Melanoma Research Team Photo and Boston Marathon Weather Update

We are four runners in support of Dr. Scott McLean's work at UM. We met with the support crew over dinner this afternoon and look forward to their cheering on the course tomorrow.

In case anyone was wondering, the weather looks perfect. Going to be a great day.

If you'd like to know more about melanoma research, click the link below:
http://medicine.umich.edu/dept/otolaryngology/victors-melanoma-research-team

Good Morning!

- Slept well....
- Shook out the body riding a bike and doing a very short run
- Just ate a massive carb and protein laden breakfast (three eggs, four pancakes with maple syrup, two pieces French toast, OJ and coffee).
- Found beet juice in Boston! #secretweapon
- Feeling good despite the taper craziness
- Now headed to Boston Marathon course tour...because while I'm running tomorrow during the impending typhoon I might be better able to stay on course

Made It To Boston

We landed at 9 and by 11 we were at the race finish areas and Expo to pick up my race number. It is a really great atmosphere. Lots of "runnahs", sun, and festive feelings.  

It was particularly great to run into Sam Adams....welcoming in just the right way!

Boston Marathon Secret Weapon

I may be struggling with an irksome hamstring but I'm balancing it with my secret weapon from Hut-K!

Other thoughts for the day:
- Feeling confident the hamstring won't slow me down too much on Monday.
- Got on scale for first time in months yesterday....whoa! Lowest in three years. Had no idea.
- Ate a mess of Pad Thai last night. Fuel.
- Glad to have Steph along for support on the adventure.

Race Day Shirt - Victors Melanoma Research Team

As an almost 20 year cancer survivor, very excited to wear this Monday during the Boston Marathon!

Thanks to Scott McLean for his invitation and support.

Please consider joining me in making a donation to support Scott's research at the University of Michigan.

To donate, click the link below.
http://medicine.umich.edu/dept/otolaryngology/victors-melanoma-research-team

Quick Thoughts of the Day

I like the way I feel the day after drinking 24 ounces of beet juice from Swaroop's house.

Six on the dirt is the workout of the day. Thinking three tomorrow with some pickups to get the legs moving and three in Saturday as well. But we will see. I might change my mind.

Need to get some light stretching and icing in later today also.

I heard I need to do some yard work tonight also....I think BQ'ers should be exempt. ;-)

Packing tonight. Can't find half of my stuff. Hmmmm.

KG's Guide to Boston

Posting here so I can remember to read later.  

Kara Goucher's Guide to Boston | Oiselle Running Apparel for Women

Another Data Look - Training Stress and Tapering

This mess of a graph from TrainingPeaks can be interpreted as follows:
Blue line - Fitness
Pink line - Fatigue
Yellow line - Rest
Red dots - Training Stress Scores (based on pace and HR data) with the highest red dot being the recent 18 miler
Blue dots - I forgot

Almost all of this data is paced on pace, not HR since I didn't actually track HR for most of my workouts.  There were also workouts on the bike where I didn't record TSS, so that messes things up just a bit.  However, the overall trends are still evident.

What we want in taper:
- Pink line dropping - it is definitely on the way down
- Yellow line rising - it is currently at its highest point in months

So things are looking good here.  Should be in a good place for Monday coming up.  Cautiously optimistic.

Previous Marathon Data - Let's Check That Out

I'm thinking about what my previous marathon data can tell me I might do/expect a week from today.

Unfortunately I was convinced to not wear my HR monitor during Boston last year.  Mistake.  Wish I had more information about that day to look over now.

I do, however, have data from the 2013 Lansing Marathon.  For that event, I trained using the Higdon Advanced 1 plan to run 7:30 pace on the flat Lansing course which yielded a time of approximately 3:19.

Here's some of the rest of the data I'm looking at:

From this, I surmise the following:
- I can hold an average HR of at least 155 for at least 3 hours, 20 minutes.  If my fitness has increased (which I think it has since 2013), I can likely go faster while averaging a similar HR provided I'm properly rested and nourished.
- While manipulating the HR data, my HR averaged 159 for the last six miles....not too much of an increase
- Max HR was 174 at the very end of the race while running about 6:15 pace.  I was cooking at the end, so maybe too much left in the tank.

I don't really have any other HR marathon data to look over that is relevant as other events were run considerably slower because of different goals.

That's it for now.....time to sleep.

Going Back To See Louise - Boston 2015

As a tag along before the 2014 Boston Marathon, I was fortunate to be invited to Louise's house before the start of the race...just go to the back door and walk right in I was told. Louise would love to have you, AND there is indoor plumbing.  Only now do I understand how fortunate I was to be there.   

More about Louise from the words of Mark Wright, my second best Facebook friend:  "I wanted to share (the picture below) to help illustrate why Boston is such a special place to me. Before the race each year, several of us meet up at the house of Louise, a lifelong Hopkinton resident who lives near the starting line. She is 86 years young, and regularly opens her house to us each year, sometimes telling us to just come in the back door and make ourselves at home, even if she is upstairs sleeping! She not only provides us with a warm, dry place (with indoor plumbing!) to rest before the race, she also shares with us her love for the marathon, and passion for the cities of Boston and Hopkinton. She even once treated a marathon runner who had severe cuts from an accident before the race by simply spotting him walking down the street and inviting him into her house! Louise, and thousands more like her from Hopkinton to Boston make the Boston Marathon a truly unique experience. We all would like to thank her so much for her generosity, warmth and spirit!"

I'm looking forward to seeing Louise again this year.  After emailing her not too long ago, she emailed me back this past week (using her iPad) saying "everyone is welcome!"  Wow.  Just amazing.

The scene at Louise's house before the 2014 Boston Marathon in Hopkinton

Single Digits To Go

Nine days out from Boston. Time for some #bqchat!

- Loving the phrase "the hay is in the barn"! Feels just like that...and what happens on Marathon Monday is mostly determined at this point. Still gotta attend to the details of race day of course.
- Feeling good to be done with the marathon training. I mostly survived while revealing some middle aged muscle deficiencies. Gotta get on a strength program that will work for me. Hmmm...maybe after Ironman? Ha!
- Being at the end of this training program, feeling really fortunate to have had Comet along for so many runs. More than a little helpful, always good for some levity. Thanks, bro.
- To my wonderful and beautiful wife....thank you for your support and cheering of my running and triathlon. You are the best. I'm a very lucky guy.
- Race day forecast: high of 53, low of 46
- Loving the advice from Dave McGillivray....I will try to use it!

Victors Melanoma Research Team | University of Michigan

Besides being close to a 20 year melanoma survivor, I'm a proud official team member of the Victors Melanoma Research Team.

Please consider making a small donation in support of Dr. Scott A McLean's research and work.

http://medicine.umich.edu/dept/otolaryngology/victors-melanoma-research-team

Taper Time Looks Like This

Had a really enjoyable run today on the Miami boardwalk in 75 degrees. Love this place. Hamstring good....warm weather is a plus for sure.

Thanks to those who are sending updates about the M Spring game. Go Blue!

Mile Marker 20 Has Been Repainted

This is where the race begins.

SeekingBostonMarathon: Top 12 Signs You're Ready for the Boston Marathon

Three things:
1. After Sunday real taper begins.
2. Going off the grid for a few days for super secret Boston taper strategy, just before I start consuming gallons of beet juice.
3. Enjoyed the linked post below. Def relate to many of the twelve.
http://www.seekingbostonmarathon.com/2015/04/top-12-signs-youre-ready-for-boston.html?m=1

Nice work. Keep it going.

#boston2boulder2015