Breaking3ProjectPhilly...And So It Begins

Hello Runners.

So...hopefully you got the pun in the title.  This week I begin my "Breaking3ProjectPhilly", as I'll be running the Philly Marathon on November 19, and will try to break 3 hours.  Not nearly as big a deal as Nike's project, but an important goal for me.

Not sure if I can actually break 3:00; but it does sound much better than "Breaking 3 hours and 5 minutes project" right?  In my only marathon earlier this year, I finished in 3:23.  But, I COMPLETELY crashed and walked the last 2 miles.  I was on 3:00 - 3:02 pace through 23 miles.  I know what you're thinking....that's what everyone says when they crash as mile 23.   However, my Half time from last Fall of 1:25:40; and my 10-mile time of this Spring of 1:03:06 indicate I could be close to a 3 hour marathon if EVERYTHING goes right.

So, IF training goes well, and IF I execute a good pacing strategy AND I get my fueling right AND I have a good day AND the weather is good AND I don't completely spazz, THEN I might actually do it!  See, easy.

No - I won't be on a Monza F1 track. No - I don't have 6 interchangeable pacers to block the wind for me. No - I won't have dudes on scooters bringing me my special magic elixir every 5k.  But, I will have my good friend Kyle along side me going for the same pace.  I will have thousands of other runners around me and maybe some of them will also be going for the same time.

I also won't have a pace car with a giant clock / windscreen and green laser pointers to keep me on pace.  But, I have sent a nicely worded e-mail to the Philly marathon organizers asking permission to have my wife ride in front of me on her bike with a big cardboard wind block attached to the seat and laser pointers coming from the rear wheel.  No word back yet - fingers crossed.

I'll be using the Pfitz "Advancted Marathon" 18-week plan that maxes out at 70 mpw.  Some of the weeks looks a little daunting, I'll modify as needed when / if I start to feel over-trained.  There's also a few "doubles" during the highest mileage weeks which I've never done before...that will be "interesting".  My last training cycle maxed at 60 mpw, so this is a stretch...but not TOO bad (I hope!)


The FIRST week is down, 17 to go.  Below are my planned paces and details on each day's run....

PLANNED Paces for each kind of run (in "good" conditions):

• Easy / Recovery: based on feel.  I should feel "refreshed when done"
• General Aerobic (GA): 7:50 - 8:30
• LR and MLR: 7:30 - 8:10
• MP: 6:50
• HMP: 6:30
• Threshold (LT): 6:25

Notes on this week:

• Got a head cold last Saturday afternoon, and it just stuck around all week....lowering my energy levels.  Didn't seem to affect my running too much.  I think it might be allergies too...great.
• Pretty hot this week.  All of my runs are in the early morning, but still mid-high 70's and high humidity all week. 
• FULLY embracing easy pace for the first time ever.  Because the other days are longer runs than normal and at a slightly faster pace, my easy runs need to really be easy.  Never run so slow, but I think it's the right thing, and is what I should be doing....
• I ran both the MLR on Tuesday and LR on Saturday at exactly 7:30 pace, the very fastest end of the pace range recommended for these runs.  This is probably too fast considering the heat and especially how tired I felt after Saturday's run.   I probably should respect these runs more going forward and slow the pace down some - they're going to get longer in future weeks and over training is a real possibility for me on this plan.

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Weekly Mileage: 54
Long Run: 15
Weight: 139
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Every run: Leg swings / Lunge matrix before and foam rolling / dynamic stretching after.

• Monday:  9 miles with 4 @ LT - on WOD.  4 LT miles @ 6:32/6:29/6:33/6:29.  Temps in mid-70's and high humidity, so pacing about 5 seconds / mile slower than "theoretical LT" feels  about right.  Ran based on feel, and ended up pretty even.

•  Tuesday: MLR 11 miles on WOD.  Avg pace = 7:30.  On the fastest end for this kind of run.  Linked up with a couple other runners which made the miles much easier. Light strength work.

• Wednesday: Recovery - 5.1 mi EASY.  Pace 8:50.  Truly embracing EASY...finally.  In past training cycles my Easy runs still had a pace around 8:00 to 8:10.  I don't think they were "really" easy runs.  Today was the first day I really just let the pace go...having two solid days prior helped, as I was a little tired going into the run.  I think this is a good change for me....

• Thursday: GA (General Aerobic) - 9.1 mi.  on WOD.  Pace = 7:58.  Core work.  Feeling okay, just REALLY hot this morning!  Took a water break / mini-bath at the water fountain....about 6 miles in.

• Friday: Recovery - 5 mi easy.  Pace 8:40.  Thought I would feel better today, but still a slog...about the same as Wednesday.  Pretty hot too, which didn't help.

• Saturday: LR 15.1 miles on C and O starting at first light to try and beat the heat some.  Overall 7:30 pace.   Strength / ITB work.  Heat got to me, feeling pretty beat the rest of the day.

• Sunday: Recovery walk.  Light core work.  Foam rolling and stretching.

Stay tuned...comments welcome.