It's go time

Well, that was my break, 5 weeks off of marathon training. It's almost been like a reverse taper. The mileage from the past five weeks:

24 miles
31 miles
35 miles
45 miles
42 miles

I decided to not progress from 45 to 50 miles this week, wanted to give myself a breather before I go into it. Officially, I'm doing the 70 mile peak program, but having done it last summer, I know it's a tough one. I'm seriously thinking of paring down the mileage a wee bit by turning a recovery day into a rest day. If so, then I'll run 5 days a week and my mileage would probably top at 65 miles, which could actually be a good thing.

I think I could get battle ready on the 55 mile program but I'd like to be in top form by this fall. The difference between the 55 mile and potentially 65 mile peak adds up to an extra 10 miles on average through 18 weeks, so that's 180 extra miles. If that will bring me over the top, then i'll believe it.

This week has me peaking at 55 miles and includes my first quality run, a tempo run. As it turns out, i've sign up for a 5 mile race on Wednesday night, so that will substitute quite nicely.

Time to get down to work. Marathon day in 18 weeks.

Week to date: 42 miles (67K)
Month to date: 87 miles (140K)
Year to date: 849 miles (1366K)

Ramblings from an unfocused runner

Sometimes when you get that midrun pain, my mind loses focus on 'smooth running' and I do thinks like look up at the sky and strain with the exertion.

I do that sometimes to take my mind off the road and just let my mind wander, which leads to rambling thoughts like:

You can tell the marathoning community of Toronto is gearing up for fall training. I see it on weekday mornings, when pairs of runners stride down the sidewalk. On the weekends, you see larger groups out there for longer runs. I was standing on top of a bridge taking a mid-run breather (it was supposed to be recovery) and watched a big running group stream below me. I later caught up to them when they were taking their walk breaks.

Went out for a 10K run this morning, felt pretty sluggish and just contemplating what I'm going to put myself through the next 18 weeks. More on the mindset of a runner in training, but I'm really trying to soak in the next few runs when I can just focus on getting in some miles.

Focus, even with this blog post, I'm feeling pretty unfocus, and that's a good thing. Good to let the mind drift before I'm pulled back in the world where I tick off each run and measure each one against my own expectations.

Now before I start thinking up future posts on my goals, or what marathon pace runs mean to the overall life of a training cycle, I'll just focus on getting some sleep. That'd be nice.

10K in 55:22 (YAY, finally did a recovery run)

The last build-up week

Yep, folks, we're about to launch the 18 weeks of marathon training. A co-worker asked if I was in training and I said, not it starts next week. He goes 'so you've stopped running?'

In a way, kinda, but not by a long shot. I logged 45 miles last week which is a proper buildup to the 50 miles I'll do in the first week of training. In my last week of 'pre training' I'll use as a recovery type week, a step back from last week, so I can enjoy one last lighter training.

I've been loosely following the recovery cycle from Pfitzinger Douglas and I mean loosely because I've ramped up my long runs way more aggressive than they suggest. I'm already back up to 15 miles yet even next week's run is only prescribed as 12 miles (i'm making that 13). That's because the 70 mile program is pretty aggressive and will have me ramp up very quickly to the high teens and 20 milers. Not going to hurt myself by going from 12 to 16 in a week.

So today, I'm taking a breather, resting the legs and beginning a morning routine. Here's the sked.

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 6 miles AM
Wednesday: 8 miles AM
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 9 miles
Saturday: 6 miles
Sunday: 13 miles

Remembering a runner

How do we want to be remembered? When we're gone, what words will be used to described who we are?

I read a sad obituary in the Globe's Facts and Arguments page, about Don McDonald, who died near Buffalo in an airline crash earlier this year.

In these pieces, the paper usually uses a line to describe the person. For obvious reasons, it grabbed my immediate attention:

Loving husband and father, son, brother, friend, runner, outdoorsman, family man. Born March 6, 1960, in Timmins, Ont. Died Feb. 12 in Clarence Center, N.Y., aboard Continental Connection Flight 3407, aged 48.

The piece recalls his love of the sport:

Don was an accomplished long-distance runner in high school and had regained his love for the sport in recent years. He ran competitively, finishing first in his age group in many races. At the time of his death he was well into his training to qualify for the 2010 Boston Marathon. He had planned to run that race in April next year to celebrate his 50th birthday.

A very sad and haunting piece.

That, and the sad story of the Air France crash, got me thinking again about life and mortality. All can be gone in moments and we're told constantly that we should "seize the day" or live life to the fullest and that famous line: What would you want to be remembered for?

I wrote about Haruki Muarakami's "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" before. I won't give away much by citing a passage from his book but he says he's selected what will be on his gravestone:

Haruki Murakami
1949 - 20**
Writer (and Runner)
At Least He Never Walked

Yes yes, I don't want running to take over my life but can't deny it's a big part of it. Today, while I was running on a bright sunny day on the Leslie Spit, with dozens of cyclists streaming by me, I smiled as I hit a comfortable stride and the perfect beat from a song came on my Ipod. Damn I love this series of motions, running is our natural act. I want to be known as a runner, and I am, but in truth, we're all meant to run, I think. Modern life has forced us to go out alone and find it for ourselves.

15 miles, 2:07:24

Not too crazy about the new shoes

They were okay, I thought. They felt fine, in fact, I distinctly remember pushing against the toebox when I tried my Asics Nimbus. Yep, I had plenty of room.

Not sure if my feet have grown in the past month, but i'm constantly loosening my shoelaces hoping to buy a little bit more room. In the past, I've worn thinner socks for fit, and I may try again, but I like my pairs of Nike. Thin socks tend to wear on my feet for some reason. Anyways, I'm going to snap up a pair of GT-2140s soon, and cycle them back into my training.

In other news, I've got another week and a half of 'base mileage' before the marathon training begins. Amazing how fast the season ramps up right after my spring marathon. I feel like I'm in decent shape but man, running at 4:30Ks seem a little more laboured. I'm very interested to see how the first month of training will go and how quickly I regain the speed I got last summer.

I'm up to 16 miles for the week, and the plan is to build up to about 15 miles for the weekend long run with the goal to top 40 miles this week. Next week, I'll dial it back and enjoy the last light week before 18 weeks of heavy running. Should be fun.