Thursday, December 11, 2008

Getting Closer

Thanks to everyone for all the encouragement! I've gotten blog comments, phone calls, emails, Facebook messages, IM's, and SMS text messages with words of encouragement for Saturday. I've even gotten a couple of in-person (Do we still know how to talk face to face these days?) comments. THANK YOU!!!

I'm excited! My legs feel great. The encouragement has boosted my confidence. The only real negative now is that I've probably overdone the "fueling" this week and will have an extra pound or two to carry, but oh well.

Here's my plan...
  1. 9:00
  2. 9:00
  3. 8:30
  4. 8:15
  5. 8:15 (43:00 for 5 mile split)
  6. 8:00
  7. 8:00
  8. 8:00
  9. 8:00
  10. 8:00
  11. 8:00
  12. 7:50
  13. 7:50 (Hope to be around 1:47+ for the half split)
  14. 7:50
  15. 7:50
  16. 7:50 (I've been crashing at 15 on my long runs that start too fast. Hoping to make it through that barrier Saturday with the slow start)
  17. 7:50
  18. 7:50
  19. 7:40 (I hope I feel like speeding up!!!!)
  20. 7:40
  21. 7:40
  22. 7:40
  23. 7:40
  24. 7:40
  25. 7:40
  26. Whatever I can manage!!!!
That's my plan for a perfect day. It's ambitious, I know. That'll put me home in sub 3:30, and gives me some wiggle room on those last few miles to still hit 3:30. That's ideal and I won't be crushed if I miss that. But that's my plan. Plans may change based on how I feel. I may split them all above 8, and I guess I'll have to live with that.

I've been told that I'm crazy for thinking 3:30 is possible for a first marathon. I've been laughed at for mentioning 3:30 as a potential goal. I hope to prove that wrong, but I was told that by a far more experienced runner, so there's probably a lot of validity to it.

That's my first goal. 3:30 on a perfect day. My second goal is 4:00. My third goal is to avoid the DNF.
Posted by at
Labels:

2 comments:

Dana said...

You were only 3 minutes off your goal--knowing what you know now, surely you can be super proud of that!?!! I really like the plan of starting slower and working to go faster, but would that be your advice to yourself now?? I'm nervous about the even splitting I've heard the pacers will work toward...not to mention the fact I've also heard they will pace a bit faster per mile and walk aid stations. I think I'd rather not walk because that seems to hurt much worse than it does to just keep going. ARG...I'm impressed you had such a cohesive plan!! :D

November 26, 2011 at 9:59 PM
Eric said...

I would not start that slow. Maybe 10-15 seconds per mile slower for the first two miles and then make that up 5 seconds per mile over the next 4-6 miles of the race, to be on pace by 10 miles.

You do not speed up at the end of a marathon, so I wouldn't start slow with the plan of speeding up.

Walking at the aid stations is so worth it. It makes almost no difference in the pace you need to run, but it lets you hydrate without spilling it everywhere and gives you a break. Walk just long enough to drink and move on. Don't stop, walk.

November 27, 2011 at 1:18 PM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)