L.A.
Now that I'm back from an extended trip with a lot of hiking but rather little running, I've been starting to get back into my usual routines, and am beginning some more serious training, in the hopes of running the L.A. marathon in March. After my last marathon, which, all told, went remarkably well considering my lack of training, I swore that I wouldn't run another marathon until I could qualify for Boston. I ran my first two marathons at a 10:20/mile pace and a 10:40/mile pace, respectively, so it's going to take some work to get down to an 8:15/mile pace. My plan, based on previous races, is to train to run at 8:00/mile, starting by running at least one mile at that pace, and then increasing the mileage at that pace.
An eight-minute mile, as it turns out, is not really that hard, at least before you adjust the incline. Each of the last couple of times I went to the gym for weightlifting, I put in a mile at that pace on the treadmill. Today, however, was my first attempt to go further than one mile at that pace. Overall, it was 3 miles in 26 minutes, which is roughly an 8:40 pace. I had the treadmill set on the "Marine test," thinking of the acquaintance we've been training. The test is to go 3 miles, with no incline, as fast as you can. You're scored anywhere from 1-100. The first time I did the test, I scored 9, since I stopped shortly after completing my 8-minute mile and went to find the guys amid the weights. Today, I scored 70. I don't know what that means--am I a better runner than 70% of the Marines, or am I just a C- Marine?
Anyway, it feels good to get back into training, and to see some hope that I might actually be able to whittle my times down. I hope to add some pilates and yoga to the running and weightlifting.
An eight-minute mile, as it turns out, is not really that hard, at least before you adjust the incline. Each of the last couple of times I went to the gym for weightlifting, I put in a mile at that pace on the treadmill. Today, however, was my first attempt to go further than one mile at that pace. Overall, it was 3 miles in 26 minutes, which is roughly an 8:40 pace. I had the treadmill set on the "Marine test," thinking of the acquaintance we've been training. The test is to go 3 miles, with no incline, as fast as you can. You're scored anywhere from 1-100. The first time I did the test, I scored 9, since I stopped shortly after completing my 8-minute mile and went to find the guys amid the weights. Today, I scored 70. I don't know what that means--am I a better runner than 70% of the Marines, or am I just a C- Marine?
Anyway, it feels good to get back into training, and to see some hope that I might actually be able to whittle my times down. I hope to add some pilates and yoga to the running and weightlifting.
posted by R at 12:52 pm
4 Comments:
speedwork and hills, speedwork and hills.
i think you can do it. just mix in some speedwork and hills.
oh - i almost forgot, you also want to do good tempo runs.
what i hear is that you don't need to do your long runs at marathon race pace.
i think you can do it. actually, although it doesn't mean as much, my goal is to run the twin cities marathon in a time that would allow me to qualify for a marathon if I were a woman. (that's just between me and you of course.) but it seems like a more reasonable goal than actually qualifying right now.
my run on Thursday was all about the hills... I planned a course near my house that would include KWK's "heartbreak hill" twice, along with a smaller, steeper version around the side of the hill. I ended up getting a fantastic cramp, like a blender to my intestines, at the top of the first hill, so I walked awhile, skipped the shorter hill, then did the first hill again and added an extra mile or two in less drastic elevation changes to round out the workout. So, I'm working on adding hills...
And Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I do some speedwork in the gym, on a treadmill... probably whenever B joins the air force, that'll switch to a track at least part of the time. But I think that the weightlifting is really good, too, for helping with the speed, even if that sounds a little crazy.
Good to know about the long runs... because I'd like to start getting some longer runs in now, even though I probably couldn't do them at race pace yet...
Your daily runs (not speed workouts or tempo runs) should be run about one minute per mile slower than marathon pace (9:15/mi). Do your "short long runs" at marathon pace(8:15/mi), tempo runs at half-marathon pace (7:45/mi), and Yasso halves at about 3:30 pace. You should be able to do a 5K race in less than 22 minutes and a 10K in about 45 minutes when you are ready for the marathon.
Above all; rest when needed so you can stay uninjured and race another day.
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