May 6th, 2008
What an eye-opening season it’s been for marathons. After following several marathoners’ stories from training to completion, I’m relaxing my marathon goal.
It was humbling to hear from runners you knew had it in the bag – doing their 3rd, 5th or 6th marathon – reporting races peppered with unexpected physical issues, pacing woes or nutritional troubles that killed their expected goal. The newbie stories are just as compelling, though less surprising as far as goals not coming to fruition, but it’s the seasoned marathoner let-downs that scare you.
What I’ve Learned: no matter how well you follow your plan or how beautifully your tune-up races point you to that BQ and beyond, you just never know what can happen race day.
So, here’s the dirt. I need a 4:00 to BQ. Honest Injun, I don’t even care so much to run Boston, it’s the point of being fast enough to qualify for something – that’s the draw. Anyway, barring injury or unforseen ailments and considering I have 5 months to train, not to mention I already run faster than 9:09 for my easy/longs runs, this would be a conservative goal.
My original goal for October was 3:40 – far from conservative, even over the edge especially considering it’s my first marathon (though keeping in mind, Steamtown’s a famously fast course). I’m letting this one go.
I could split the difference and shoot for 3:50, which makes for a comfortable goal since 8:45 is often my easy/long pace anyway. But where’s the challenge in that? I know I can run long(ish), I did a 19 and 18 last October just for fun. I want to get faster for the Fall, not just go longer.
So my revised plan is this: 3:45. If I’m improving in leaps and bounds, I might glimpse that 3:40 on the radar again, but 3:45 is realistic with some work. I’ll be following a Pfitz 18/60 plan by removing the double recoveries on the the 18/70. I don’t feel I need to get up to 70 just yet – I don’t want to burn out and also, at 46 years old, I don’t need to push it to destruction the first time.
Conversely, since I’ve run several successful weeks at low to mid 50s and my usual mileage is right under that, it doesn’t make sense to do the 18/55 which starts in the low 30s. Yet perversely, considering I’m sitting here with a bum ankle and will be out of town for two weeks prior to plan start, 30s might be my weekly mileage at that point. If so, I’ll embrace the 18/55, no problem! Playin’ it by ear.
My general attitude keeps improving concerning speed gains vs. the calendar. I’m still hungry as ever for crazy cool race times in all the distances but am no longer driven by a timetable. Last Fall, I was “Since I’m doing X, that means in 3 months I’ll be at Y, then 3 months later I’ll be at Z,” I’m coming around to the idea that I don’t need to push it out like a hard dump, all things come in good time.
And with that lovely visual, I bid you adieu for the day. Because I’m tasteful like that.
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Flo, in the end, what it all comes down to is this:
You run the best race you have in you that day.
That’s all.
And it is true of any race, any distance.
If you have it in you to run a 3:45, a 3:40 a 3:30–you go! Train hard, recover easy and run the best race you have in you that day.
“You can if you think you can…” Norman Vincent Peale
Having said all that, there are too many things you can’t control. Weather, insufficient aide stations, a poorly organized event, a plague of locusts–I mean anything can happen.
The best strategy? Set your sights on an attainable goal, and do your best to get there by training like a Kenyan. Yet, is crucial to get your mind in a good place if the time goal doesn’t happen. You want a marching band, a neon sign and a concert at the end of your first marathon.
Not a disappointment over a time goal. Only a small percentage of people are marathoners. You are just as awesome for finishing whether it be in 3:40, 4:15, or 5:59.
And, at the end, when you see all those wonderful things–make sure to look for the woman with the blue pom-poms! That’s me, I’m your biggest cheerleader!
–Pokey
You know im big supportor of yours, but IM going to play devils advocate for a minute. Mostly cause its fun in a demented way. Whats been your longest run to date?? How fast? Its your first marathon, I really think you should run it to finish. 3:45 is lot faster then you think. Error on side of caution. I know eventually you will get a 3:30 but it doesnt have to be your first one. Plus carefully increase mileage, I found out hard way and trying to get recovered in time for Cleveland. Think i mentioned in my blog. Ok putting horns away…….. (for now)
Pokey, spoken like a true marathoner!! Sure wish you’d post that kick-ass report of yours somewhere, I loved it!
Bruce, like I mention, I did an 18 and a 19-miler back in October, just for the hell of it. The 19-miler was at 8:59/mile and I’m faster since then. I did a comfortable 16 a couple months ago at 8:47 but lately, I’ve purposely gone out much slower on my long runs, getting faster as it progresses (what Pfitzinger calls progression runs). So my last 16 was 9:09 average, with the last few miles between 8:24-8:43 (MP and then some).
If it wasn’t for those long runs, I’d be talking out my ass, but knowing I can do distance and not hurt or dread it is what gives me the confidence to think I can do this in 5 months.
I always thought you could do it if you set your mind to it and all goes well in your training plan. Of course if you couldnt convince me what hope was there?? Out of curiousity, when you put your last long race time in to the Mcmillan calculater what times does it give?? And dont tell me you haven’t done that already. To play Devils advocate again, I look good in red, you do know 20 miles is the half way point of a marathon?
Lol, you’re really pushing it, Luther! McMillan says 3:42:20, Daniels says 3:39:49, Runners World says 3:40:21. Are we done yet?
Hey someone has to keep you on your toes. I just saying be carefull jumping up in mileage and speedwork. I was confident I could do 4:15 in Cleveland, till 2 weeks ago. Got a shin splint and havent been able to run like I have wanted too. Shakes your confidence. But you seem to have it all figured out. So what do I know???
Can I keep the costume??
I did include the caveat, “barring injury or unforeseen ailments” which is how I would define shin splints. If I get injured, undoubtedly my goal will need readjusting. I just don’t see why I need to dumb it down beforehand.
As for the costume, do your marathon in it!! It’d be more original than a tutu!
Here’s to a fast and furious marathon for you, devil man.
FLo: I think you have every reason to be confident of your goal, and Bruce I think you have every reason to plant the seeds of doubt. (This comment written in the spirit of the political season).
VOTE FOR TOBEY!
HAHAHAHA!!! We want Tobey to answer the phone at 3a.m.
love this blog post Flo! You know I totally relate to first time marathoner anxieties! Its definitely scary when even the vets crash and burn !
I know everyone says we aren’t supposed to set time goals for our first marathons but like you, goals are what drive me to keep going and pushing and taking things to the next level. Without goals whats the point ?
Having said that I may revise my fall marathon goal a few times from now till then too. either up or down depending on training. but to not set a goal time. thats just crazy talk!
While I would love to join you with an 18/60 plan I definitely don’t want to get hurt my first time out so AT MOST i’ll be doing a 14-15/ 55 plan scaled down from a Pfitz 18/55
And bite your tongue about not even caring about running Boston! I know the goal is the BQ but Boston is the reward for all the hard work! Most who run it run it for fun! And a KICK ASS FE!! You better wait until 2009 or 2010 for me to catch up though
Funny about that “not setting time goals” if you’re a beginner. There’s a lot of experienced folks who disagree with that, just read a good thread on it in the Marathoner’s training board.
The reality is, like you say, we might change them back and forth and back again. What matters is the training and the tune-up races preceding it. There’s really no way to have an accurate idea at this point in time, before we’ve even done step one. So, like life, it’s a fluid thing.
The 14-15 sounds great. I even read something yesterday where Squirrel talks about not doing anything longer than 12 for future cycles, he thought he was at his peak then, so there’s nothing wrong with a 12-week. I guess it’s how much lead up time you want, is all.
Btw, if I’m BQing, you are too! So none of that “catch up” crap (unless I don’t make it, then you can’t BQ this year either)
Flo, and you can read too Matt,
My only marathon cycle was 18 weeks, and IMO was too long. The next cycle I only did 11 weeks, but had to step down to a half at the last minute for reasons I won’t go into here. Funny thing, when I started the first cycle I had just run a half marathon and thought I was half way trained; boy was that wrong! To me it was about the same difference as going from a 5K to a half. With your work ethic and analytical approach to everthing, I don’t see any problems ahead for you, Flo. I did set a realistic goal of 5hrs, which I barely missed, but I am not as fast as you, and admittedly did not train hard enough to do any better than that.
I can’t even spell “BQ” so that is not realistic for me at this time, with my schedule.
Tobey
Vote for Tobey!
Vote for Flo!!
Am I still allowed to comment here?
Yeah 18 is definitely out for me. When I see people doing the 24 week plans I shudder and hope they don’t get injured half way through or peak to soon and be too worn out to do squat come marathon day
thanks both of you for your input.
In retrospect I think I can see both sides of the coin on whether to set time goals or not on our firsts. I think its different for us because we arent going from couch to marathon in 6 months like alot of new runners try to do. Sure they finish their marathons but we want to do much more than just finish.
Hey Tobey, I went and found your report from the weekend, sounds like it got hot! That definitely throws a wrench in, especially after training in cooler weather, but congrats on the race and the course record!
Yeah, like Bruce mentioned, I’ve heard (and believe) that 20 miles is halfway in a marathon, so you just never know what’s going to happen. I guess that’s the draw. Thanks for your confidence in me, I’ll have a better idea in August, I guess.
Bruce, you are always welcome to post here, especially now I that I am hating on you, it brings a whole new level to our relationship.
Vote for Bruce!
Yeah Matt, Pfitz says the 24 is only for special cases, but I can see where, if you like following plans, it’d be a gentler curve up to the big miles. Agreed, the “no goals” would be right for a new runner, even Jim2 says that not setting goals for your first can be (I paraphrase) bunk.