![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[Another running post - you're shocked.]
Okay, it's been a while since I've blagged about this, and I have a few things to say, most of which aren't new news.
I'm going to be running the Baystate Marathon on October 19th - about 5 weeks from now. I've actually been training since the beginning of July, but I didn't sign up until August 21st - two days before they sold out - because I wasn't sure I could handle the longer distances. And I'm still not sure.
I'm doing the Sub 3:45 Marathon training plan, because it seems to fit with my level of fitness and available time. Of course, it would be great to turn in a Boston-qualifying 3:30 (and they have a training plan for that too), but that's fantasy - I can't magically shave 0:35/mile off my pace. (Oh, and by the way, that would qualify me for 2016, because 2015 registration is happening right now.) And really, at this point I'll be satisfied to finish at all. Plus I'm not sure I'll ever want to do this again. I already hurt. Turns out I'm human after all.
Anyway, today's run was 18 miles, with miles 11-15 being slightly faster. "Finishing your long teaches you how to run fast when tired." Several things helped me actually do this. 1) Not running in 80+ heat is a god-send, srsly. 2) Pre-hydrating is good - a quart of Gatorade is good for 10 miles. 3) In-flight re-fueling is good (and necessary) for longer runs. 3a) GU gel seems to help, somewhat to my chagrin - it's basically over-priced, over-packaged cake frosting. If I can find an appropriate squeeze-container, I should try running with actual cake frosting. 3b) While I was obsessing over $1.35 gels, I was willing to drop $40 on this "hydration waistpack" (bottle holder), because it really is better thought out than the competition, and so beats holding a bottle while running.
Oh right, while I was at it, I signed up for the Wilmington Half Marathon, on September 28th - a couple weeks from now, 3 weeks before the marathon. I figure it'll be good, low-pressure prep for running a race/event, rather than just doing a solo training run. Plus, if I finish that saying "let's do that again!", I'll know I'm ready for the marathon.
Okay, it's been a while since I've blagged about this, and I have a few things to say, most of which aren't new news.
I'm going to be running the Baystate Marathon on October 19th - about 5 weeks from now. I've actually been training since the beginning of July, but I didn't sign up until August 21st - two days before they sold out - because I wasn't sure I could handle the longer distances. And I'm still not sure.
I'm doing the Sub 3:45 Marathon training plan, because it seems to fit with my level of fitness and available time. Of course, it would be great to turn in a Boston-qualifying 3:30 (and they have a training plan for that too), but that's fantasy - I can't magically shave 0:35/mile off my pace. (Oh, and by the way, that would qualify me for 2016, because 2015 registration is happening right now.) And really, at this point I'll be satisfied to finish at all. Plus I'm not sure I'll ever want to do this again. I already hurt. Turns out I'm human after all.
Anyway, today's run was 18 miles, with miles 11-15 being slightly faster. "Finishing your long teaches you how to run fast when tired." Several things helped me actually do this. 1) Not running in 80+ heat is a god-send, srsly. 2) Pre-hydrating is good - a quart of Gatorade is good for 10 miles. 3) In-flight re-fueling is good (and necessary) for longer runs. 3a) GU gel seems to help, somewhat to my chagrin - it's basically over-priced, over-packaged cake frosting. If I can find an appropriate squeeze-container, I should try running with actual cake frosting. 3b) While I was obsessing over $1.35 gels, I was willing to drop $40 on this "hydration waistpack" (bottle holder), because it really is better thought out than the competition, and so beats holding a bottle while running.
Oh right, while I was at it, I signed up for the Wilmington Half Marathon, on September 28th - a couple weeks from now, 3 weeks before the marathon. I figure it'll be good, low-pressure prep for running a race/event, rather than just doing a solo training run. Plus, if I finish that saying "let's do that again!", I'll know I'm ready for the marathon.
