EEK!

 I might actually be on track to attempt a 3:30 at CIM this year. I'd been told by a few Chips that I should be able to do around a 3:30 considering my training so far, and apparently my finish in the Urban Cow Half last weekend supports this theory. According to the Runner's World Training Calculator, it might be do-able. Now I just have to keep up my training...

Based on a half marathon race at 01:39:43, your projected finish times for the following distances should be:

1500m 6:03 the mile 6:31 3000m(3k) 12:37 3200m(about 2 miles) 13:31 5000m(5k) 21:42 8000m(8k) 35:42 5 miles 35:55 10,000m(10k) 45:14 ten miles 1:14:54 a half marathon 1:39:43 a marathon 3:27:54

These times are projected equivalents and are not a guarantee of performance or final race distance times. The Distance Finish Times calculator calculates a predicted time at a distance for you based on a time you provided for another distance. It uses the formula T2 = T1 x (D2/D1)1.06 where T1 is the given time, D1 is the given distance, D2 is the distance to predict a time for, and T2 is the calculated time for D2. The formula was developed by Pete Riegel and published first in a slightly different form in Runner's World, August 1977, in an article in that issue entitled "Time Predicting." The formula was refined for other sports (swimming, bicycling, walking,) in an article "Athletic Records and Human Endurance," also written by Pete Riegel, which appeared in American Scientist, May-June 1981.

New and Improved Pace Chart!

This morning I got my revised pace chart, which reflects last weekend's half marathon assessment. My new projected finish time for the marathon is 3:37:47, a 8:19 minute per mile pace. This is an improvement of over six minutes from the previous pace chart, and would qualify me for Boston if I achieve this time.

I am excited to try to qualify for Boston, and to have my pace chart actually tell me they think I should be able to achieve this goal. The fact that the pace for the marathon is about 30 seconds slower than the half seems good, as long as I can stick to the pace and not try to go out faster.

We have a marathon pace workout at the Clarksburg Half Marathon in November, so I will be using that race to test running my goal pace in a race environment. I'm so excited!

Urban Cow Half Marthon!

Our Sunday long run this morning was assessment number two- the Urban Cow Half Marathon. After we did our initial assessment, the coaches gave us expected finish times and paces for all race distances. Mine was 1:46 for a half marathon, about 8:10 per mile. That would be a five minute PR for me, but I thought I could do a bit better. I've been training faster than my pace sheet they gave me, and I wanted to go for 1:45. So I decided that I would try to beat or at least keep a 8 minute per mile pace.

I set my Garmin "virtual partner" for the 8 minute pace, so I could check how far ahead/behind I was. The Garmin is fantastic. I set two of the training screen to show me the current pace, time elapsed, distance, average pace, last lap time, and lap pace. Lots of useful information to keep me on track!

I started out a but in front of the 1:45 pace group. I did the first two miles around 7:50, and worried that I was going a bit too fast. But I felt great, so I kept going. I sped up a bit for the next two miles, because the 1:45 pace group was next to me. They were going about a minute ahead of the speed they should have been going, and it bugged me, so I sped up. I did 7:40 to 7:45 for the next three miles, and still felt great. Gu around mile 4, and water at the aid stations at mile 2 and 4.

Miles 6 and 7 I kept about a 7:50, then slowed a bit for the next two miles, to about 7:56. Mile 10 was a slow one, and the only one over 8:00- we ran this mile on the levee, and there was a headwind. I had a Gu around this time, and Cytomax at the remaining aid stations (every even mile).

Around mile 11 I started to feel tired, especially in the legs. But I didn't let it get to me because I was doing so well. I have never felt better during a half marathon- or any other distance for that matter. The training is really paying off. I didn't feel really tired until well into the last two miles, and by then I had enough left in the tank to speed up still.

I think without the Garmin I would have slowed down for the last two miles. I was tired, and it is really easy to slow down without noticing. I did a few times, but I checked the Garmin frequently to make sure I was on pace. The last three miles I kept between 7:55 and 7:58, and I really sped up at the half mile from finish sign. My pace for the final segment (0.1) was under 7:00 per mile.

The best part of the race- aside from how great I felt- was seeing John at the finish! It was really nice to have him there. I'm always excited at the end of a race, but it isn't as fun without someone to share it with.

Here is my Garmin summary of the race:


By the way, my time was 1:43:13. This is a PR of over 8 minutes. My overall pace was 7:51 minutes per mile.

My 10k time was 48:13, a PR of 1 minute and 20 seconds. my 10 mile time was 1:18:23, a PR of 5 minutes and 20 seconds. My 5k time was probably a PR also, but the Garmin didn't make a datapoint at 3.1 miles.

Pace Chart

The pace chart is here! The pace chart is here!

I received the anxiously-awaited pace chart in my email this afternoon, and it was somewhat surprising. According to my two-mile timed assessment, my predicted race times are the following:

1 mile: 6:40
5k: 23:08
10k: 48:04
Half Marathon: 1:46:55
Marathon: 3:45:29

Wow! I knew that my lack of real training was limiting my race speeds, but I was hoping to do the marathon in 4 hours. According to the pace chart, I should be able to do it in 3:45 if I train correctly.

This begs the question, why not 3:40? That would qualify me for the Boston Marathon. I will see how training goes, and if stepping it up even a bit more would be possible. I don't want to be greedy or set unattainable goals, but that sure would be awesome if I qualified for Boston in my first marathon.

I think the Urban Cow Half Marathon is the next assessment, so we may get revised charts after that, or at least be able to track progress by comparing the time estimate to the actual time.

Assessment Run

This morning started at 6:30AM with an (optional) form clinic. I did pretty well- they said I should move my arms more, which I am pretty sure I do when I'm actually running and not being watched. My posture, foot strike and turnover is pretty good. They said to time footstrike for 30 seconds, and try to get close to 40 to 45 on one side per 30 seconds. That equates to 180 or so per minute overall, which is the ideal rate for any distance.

Today was the first assessment. We started out at the same part of Land Park, running up to the levee and about 1.5 miles total to Le Rivage hotel. They marked a mile back north on the trail (toward Miller Park), and we did a times out and back 2 mile run. I ran with the first group, which was people timing themselves.

As usual, there was one girl and about 10 guys out in front of me. This time, two other women ended up passing me- one who was there last week and probably pacing better than I was, and one who was new. I came in fourth (not that it is a race) in the self-timing group, and then ran the 1.5 miles back to Land Park.

My two mile assessment time was 14:15.

I'm really excited to get my pace chart, and start working on longer runs!