October 15th, 2008
I just returned from my first foray back outside in running shoes, following Pfitzinger’s recovery schedule of 4 slow miles. I have to laugh remembering when I first skimmed that part of the plan last week, I was all, “So few miles? Nu-uh, I’m going to pad that for sure” compared to yesterday when I realized I was supposed to run again the next day and my thoughts were suddenly, “Oh, shit…already???”
As expected, I had some serious DOMS these last couple days, which I thoroughly enjoyed in a masochistic way – proof that I’d done something a bit, er, strenuous. I wasn’t forced to tackle stairs backwards, but rolling over in bed required a 3-point turn system: weight on right elbow, thrust self onto back, groan quietly so as not to wake Nick, weight onto left elbow, hoist self to face left, ahhhhh.
My toes are a mess, the two second toes are going to lose their nails, one’s half off already. I suspect their trauma could have been prevented by tying my shoes tighter in consideration for the long downhills, but I’ve had foot pain in the past from tying them too tight, so I shoulda compromised…just didn’t think beforehand.
So while today’s recovery jog was the perfect activity (my legs starting feeling relief almost immediately), my two torn-up toes were crying inside their silicone toe caps.
As for the rest of me, I feel Satisfied with a capital S. Relieved that I didn’t need a Plan B after all, I truly feel for all my BQ hunting compatriots who are in the midst of implementing theirs, because this sense of closure and finality is truly a luxurious feeling. I can put the marathon mindset completely aside until next year and start afresh with a new plan of action – so freeing.
What is this plan of action? For now, there’s that kooky Bridge 10K in 2.5 weeks that I ran last year as part of a team with a dear group of forum friends. I’ll see how my legs are feeling. I also have the Turkey Trot 5K in Haddonfield, NJ that I did last year and loved, that’s at the end of November. I need to see what else is scheduled in my area.
But I won’t be twiddling my thumbs, I’ve actually had a non-marathon Fall goal in mind for months now: to get my 5K in the 22s, which should be ready to happen – my PR is 23:06 and that’s from April, before all this marathon madness began. It’ll be nice to spend November messing around with short intervals and tempos so I can work the faster stuff.
Then for Spring, my goal race is the Lehigh Valley Half. I think I’m sticking with my boyfriend Pete Pfitzinger for that plan, too. I have his Road Racing book and since Advanced Marathoning got me to the start in such a calm, steady, no injury way, I see no reason to switch. It’s a 14-week plan, so that’ll start at the end of January.
That’s about it for today’s blah blah blah. Shout out to all you marathoners whose big race or Plan B is yet to happen, I’ll be living vicariously through your successes and adventures these next few weeks because, without a doubt, marathoning has to be one of the most exciting and rewarding things I’ve ever experienced. So bring it on kids, here’s to some fabulous racing ahead!!
Posted in Running
If that 10k wasn’t on 10/2, I might be down!
As it is, depending on travel, I might head your way for a 5k in Dec.
Oh and the PM is all screwed up
Hey girly-pants, that’s too bad about the 10K, we’d have a blast with that!! Excellent on the 5k threat though, I’d love that!
Yeah, the forum is really acting wacky with their update. They better hurry and get it working right, I feel like someone stole my crack pipe!
it went down just as I was cleverly replying to you last night!
oh this is what I’m thinking if I’m back in time, kid went to my HS. (though they left my AG off the form!)
http://www.lmsports.com/gtd08.pdf
Hey, be a lazy butt, you’ve earned it. I got an annoying ankle injury by doing a longish run just 6 days after my marathon, which hung around for weeks.
I don’t remember if this video has been linked here before, but enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-hCuYjvw2I
You should be able to knock out some nice PRs at the shorter distances in the next few weeks!
I jumped straight into another marathon cycle, as you know. I’m just hooked, I guess. Not sensible like you.
Running again already. I’ve been doing the “backwards downstairs” dance, so all I’m up for is a long walk this afternoon.
Pete and Scott got me a 24 minute PR on my third marathon. Then I got all cocky and decided I didn’t need them anymore: I’d design my own plan! I still PR’d, but not in the way I’d liked to have done so. So I’m going back to their 18/70+ plan from Advanced Marathoning for the spring race. I will not stray again.
And, speaking of spring races, the Lehigh Half is a wonderful, wonderful race. It was my first half marathon, and I ran it again in 2007. Great organization, fun course — I can’t say enough good things about it. If it weren’t 2+ hours away, I’d run it again. But there are enough half marathons in my neck of the woods to keep me happy.
Continue to bask in the glow of your first marathon AND BQ. That is a rare accomplishment. You have full bragging rights.
Jim, that video always cracks me up, glad you posted it, now it really has significance. About you signing up for another straight away…I almost feel like something’s wrong with me because I’m holding off, like I don’t love marathons enough! Because it does sound like for lots of people as soon as they’ve done one, they sign up for another immediately! I guess I really am a lazy person at heart, seriously. I’m totally ok with that, btw, but that’s my only explanation.
Julie, how lovely to hear you’ll be back with the boys for the next one! They do seem to know their stuff, that’s for sure. But the fact that you PRd is a fabulous thing, even it wasn’t by the margin you expected. Yay Julie!! (for those of you who haven’t hopped on over to her blog yet, click her name and see…this is one fast lady!)
Thanks for the Lehigh Half review, too. It seems to be a favored race for many, so I’m really excited about it. Wish you were doing it too though, but I bet we’ll meet one of these days.
OK, I just noticed you wrote a complete report, going over a full read now…
Flo,
I was thinking of getting “Pete’s” book, but it just seems like so many miles for me. Would you definitely recommend it for my next (second) race? Advanced Marathoning is what you did use for your first, correct?
Heidi, I can’t recommend it highly enough! Yes, Advanced Marathoning is what I used. It’s a great plan, the quality work isn’t daunting and builds perfectly, so your legs are ready for what comes. It has a lot of emphasis on midweek medium long runs, so your weekend long runs don’t seem like such a big deal either. I think those Med LRs are key to endurance on this plan.
Here’s what the plan looks like, but it’s only good with the book and explanations, still this gives you a view of what’s required.
BQ musings: There’s a young guy in my weekend running group that I think of as pretty damn fast. I’m used to seeing him as a diminishing dot. He told me he’s going to try for a BQ, (3:10 in his case) but may take two or three marathons to do it. BQ is a great leveler! In my case, I have a reasonable shot at it next time out, and that seems about right. You, Flo, did it on the first try by a convincing margin. Well Done, and thanks for the extra incentive, dammit!
Jim, for a guy to do it second time out seems more impressive to me than a 47 year old woman first time out, because the men’s qualifiers are so much tighter. So good, I’m glad I can be an extra help in getting your ass moving to that goal, but from what you’re posting of your times lately, you’ve got it all under control! Woohoo Jim!!
hey – the run talk is good- but mostly, I LOVE (and understand only too well) your descript of trying to get out of bed…
Go well my (lazy? – ha!) girl!
Lol, Monkey girl, I’m sure you’ve had your fair share of creaky roll-overs, being the uber-dancer you are. Nice that some things are so universal, like pain.
10K’s are a lot different without the 20 mile warmup.
Hah! You’re not kidding!! In fact, during the marathon I was all, “just a 10K now, just a 5K” but man, they seemed waaaaay longer than any 10k or 5k I ever ran.
http://brucemcintosh.blogspot.com/
I did a 10K 2 weeks after my marathon so you can do it on 3 with out a problem.
I sometimes dont realize how lucky I been, no blisters, no lost toenails. Knock on wood I didnt just jinz myself.
You’re a stronger woman than I — there’s NO WAY I’m going for a run for at least another day or 2! (Probably more considering the cold that’s been threatening has hit with a vengeance. ARRGH!)
Bruce, yay on the PR!! I want a 10K one of those, too! You must be having a happy week with a new PR to gloat upon. Congrats!
Betsy, we’re still pretty warm over here. Pfitz’s recovery plan is pretty kind to the body, the first week is just 4 Wed, 4 Fri and 5 Sunday. I’m not even going to bother trying anything more, happy to sit on my ass when allowed this week.
Flo,
I’ve been meaning to ask you what type of mileage you had built up to pre-marathon training? I run about 25-30 a week, but I’m thinking this may not be enough for this plan. Did you build your own base or use what is recommended in the book? I peeked at the schedules from the link you had in your response back to me. High miles for me have always = injury. That is why for my marathon I used the FIRST plan, you only run 3 days a week and then cross train 2 other days.
Always like t hear what has worked for other runners.
Heidi, interesting thing about the FIRST plan, I know it works for loads of people, but it’s also not great for people prone to injury because there are no recovery runs in it, it’s all hard quality.
I think there’s a difference in growing mileage depending on how you do it. In Pfitz, you have all those recovery runs, and the long runs are quite slow, so it’s a soft build, then the mid-longs prepare you for the longs.
My mileage wasn’t good before starting the plan because I had undiagnosed ankle bursitis & peroneal tendonitis so had been taking it very easy, then we went on vacation the two weeks before the plan. So my preceding weeks were 20,23,15,11 believe it or not.
I had in the past though, hit some 50 miles weeks and had lots of 40s, so I knew I was fine with the mileage.
Here’s what Pfitz says you should be doing before starting the plan:
As a rule, you should be running at least 25 miles a week before starting the schedules and in the last month you should have comfortably completed a run close in length to the long run called for in the first week of the schedule.” So that would be a 12-miler.
Looks like your starting mileage is right on!
Maybe Doggie Poo will weigh in on First, she did it one year.
Heidi, here’s my (limited) experience:
My mileage-to-injury ratio was kinda backwards in the last cycle. I started from a low base. The little aches and pains diminished as mileage went up, and pretty much disappeared when I got over 50 per week. I was running almost all those miles at easy pace, very little speed work in that cycle, so that may have made a difference. It just seemed to make me stronger.
This time around, there’s more speed work, I’m over 50 again, and I get some soreness, but nothing to worry about so far. I damaged my foot while running a half a couple of weeks ago, but that’s healed up amazingly quickly. The summary: Slow distance good, speed bad (from the injury POV).
Very good point, Jim! In Pfitzinger’s plan, you don’t even get to speed work till the 10th week of the plan, so by that time, your legs are primed.
Yea, I used advanced FIRST last year. I’m a triathlete and I’m use to cross training and I found it to be hard. Yes, I got faster, I also had to DNF the marathon I was working towards with an out of nowhere race day ITB injury. I then ran another marathon about 8 weeks later, 20 minute PR.
I felt like I was worn out a lot from FIRST.
This time, I went to Pfitz 18/55. My milage was about yours when I started. I thought I would have some trouble getting into the high milage weeks and the consecutive days running, but if done properly, it’s doable. I liked it more than FIRST and I had a 3 minute PR at Scranton.
I know the FIRST plan would never work for me, I would never get in the cross training you need to do. I keep considering Pfitz. Right now I am just working on increasing my mileages upwards mobility.
Ya know we are just going to have to start Flo’s Forum for all our discussions.
Lol, Flo’s Forum – just what I need…another forum to waste my life away in.
Thanks so much for everyone’s input. It great to see what has/hasn’t worked for people. I diligently stuck to the FIRST plan and was very disappointed in my time. In fact, I didn’t even miss so much as one day of cross-training. My time was oh about, 30 minutes slower than my goal. Hmmmmmmm, pissed me off because I was so true to the training.
Oh well, mind made up, Pfitz next time around. Not sure when that will be, just doing the St. Judes Classic Half in December. Had to take way too much time off due to hamstring injury. But……..I am trying to break 2:00. I’ve ran a 2:01, 2:04 and 2:10. I need to shed about 5 lbs. prior to that. I know if my ass was smaller and I wasn’t lugging around thunder thighs, I could cut at least 5 minutes.
I’m 6’0″ and 165. I was 180 and then dropped down to 145. That was a little low for me, I had issues so to speak!!!! So…….had to put a little on, well a little apparently to me a little was 20 lbs. Ugh. it sucks! Ok, enough, I’ll get off my soapbox.
Now all I have to do is get the book to read up so I’m ready to rock-n-roll.
Oh, you sound so relaxed and content. So jelous, but of course extremely happy for you Flo, you deserve it. Can’t wait until I can get there. Hope those toeez heal up quick. Sounds like some awesome running plans up ahead!
Heidi, you’re a model! How I would love to be a tall woman. Sounds like you’re going to get the sub 2:00 next time out, just keep those legs in good shape!
Jackie, you deserve to be relaxed and content, too. I’m so sorry the weather conspired against you at St. George, but Tucson is going to be your revenge. Not too much longer now!