Drooling for Bibs... the state of The Sean address

I am sure you have not missed it... the big news for Boston bound runners was the recent release of bib numbers and the associated starting times! I was excited to go on over to baa.org and find out what The Sean would be pinning to his belly April 18th.

With my finishing time from 2010 WDW Marathon I will be wearing a red bib #1442... which means I'll be starting with Ryan Hall- kind of... Don't count on seeing me running off the back bumper of the WBZ 5 media truck as we leave Hopkinton... I won't be that guy running a 5:10 first mile. But I will be starting in Wave One at 10:00 am (or very soon after) in the middle of the 9,000 corralled with me (adult diapers??).

Now taking bets...

We are now less than a month until Patriot's Day and it seems like a convenient time to see how the training has been progressing. I have steadily increased my weekly total since the beginning of January when I had some baby-induced time off which has since regulated with the little fella sleeping through the night now. I am now getting in a comfortable 60 mpw.

I have been following a 2 on 1 off cycle with the down weeks adding more quality work in smaller doses.

Long Runs
Following a time on the feet concept with sustained efforts on hilly trail courses I have worked up to what I am calling 22-24 miles, or 2:45 for the long run. With a goal of 2:59:59 for Boston I am relying on this time on the feet on race day. I seem to respond well to just getting my time in...



Speed Work

The ramp up to Hopkinton (or Newton)

I have been completing 10k sessions on the track or fartlek style running with some hills as well to keep the strength up and the downhill form ready to go. With zippiness and zeal in the legs I should feel relaxed at marathon race pace, if I run smart.

One thing I will be focusing on in the next 3 weeks is pace work to hone in on the marathon pace and its feeling over varied terrain. I sense that I am currently running a bit quick every day- not feeling over trained, just a little bored on the easy runs. I tend to push a little harder when feeling bored by pace, effort.  A bad habit... and would be a good time for using gadgets.

Tempo Time
Around the turnover/ speed work I have been getting in longer sustained efforts at 10k-10 mile pace to hopefully help with lactate processing. Again, racing 10k has been helpful here and I have seen it in the race results. Amazing how beneficial a short rest break (baby time) can be once regular training has been reintroduced. I have already run faster this year at 10k on tougher courses than I did at my "peak" last year.

With this as a guide I am keeping the training stress free and open to adjustment. I am also enjoying the racing in the Asheville area with so many knowledgeable and talented runners.

Next Up
This weekend brings around the Dupont 12k again. Last year I ran this wonderful roller coaster course and was eating dust from the start. It ended with me barely holding off others in the last burning mile for the runner up spot. I really enjoyed the course and the setting and look forward to a morning race through the forest!

I am interested to see how I run compared to my performance last year and hope to have learned something about the course from last time too- maybe run a little more patiently in the first climbs and close a tad better... maybe. At any rate, it should be a deep field of runners as can always be expected in the Asheville area and at  Jus' Running events.

That's where it stands with less than a month until Boston. My racing edge is sharpening, the leg speed is there and hopefully the base will be wide enough to break 3 hours at the Patriot's Day Marathon Mecca.

Happy running!!