Life Is Good With Beer & Running

Things could not be better here at Ye Old Doctors Management Beer and Running Club. For the first time, my marathon pace intervals did not feel too fast last night. I actually felt, dare I say it, comfortable.

Running last week's 5 x 2 miles (with steady 1/2 mile recovery in between), I was still feeling like 9:10 pace was too fast. I was really wrestling with the whole pace issue, but I managed to turn off the thinking and just did the work. Then I noticed how fast I recovered from it. Then I really noticed my fast recovery from the 16 miler steady run I did a couple days later.

Last night: 3 x 3 miles at 9:10 pace with the same steady (9:45) 1/2 mile recovery in between. I felt a bit sluggish warming up. That made me nervous. Then I started the workout and had to immediately rein it in from 7:45 pace. What is UP with that? I was thinking. The entire first interval was an exercise in holding back. I settled down on the second one, and was feeling pretty comfortable and happy. After the third, I dared to think that perhaps I am "arriving". My body seems to be adapting to marathon pace. The progression runs and steady state runs are going well. I have a 22-mile progression run Saturday. I think I'll run it in thirds, just like I plan to race. If it goes well, I'd say it's official: I am peaking at the right time for a marathon for the very first time. I am so happy.


Ah, but the beer news you all really came here for.

My boss, David Keller, looked like this when I arrived at work yesterday:

After nearly a 3 weeks wait, he finally received his Best of Show award(s) from the national Masters Championship of Amateur Brewing contest. That's right, folk, my very own boss won Best of Show with his nine-year-old old ale. Look at this pretty trophy:

If you didn't think this was enough to prove how lucky I am to work with such a cool guy, consider this: He's also a runner! He's currently sidelined with back issues, but not that long ago he was running 3:30 marathons. He's run the Shut-In Ridge Run more times than I can count. In fact he met his wife at Shut-In. His son, Aaron, still has the record for the youngest finisher (which my son, Leopold, is keening for).

There's some talent in that family- Aaron Keller is still on the All-Time Top 25 N.C. Track & Field Performances list with his 9:11 3,200 meters.

Yes, we love beer and running here.

Happy Thursday, every one!!

He's Like A Tiger

A few months ago, at the Asheville Arthritis 5K, Leopold won a $50 gift certificate to the local running store. Sweet! With it, he purchased a pair of women's Nike Waffle Jana's (this is a spikeless Cross Country shoe - basically a very minimalist racing flat). It was his money, so I let him get what he wanted, which turned out to be a good thing. He loves them! He says they're the most comfortable running shoe he's ever had.

Since the Jana's are about dead, we went online last night to see what was available in a Women's size 6 spikeless XC shoe for him. We ended up ordering the Asics Attack XC Spikeless.


Check these out:

Even better than what they look like? The price. As a discontinued shoe, we got them for $10.97. That's right - One. zero. dot. nine. seven.

Buying shoes online: $10.97

Looking like a Tiger: Priceless.

Glimpses of Peaking

Weekend Recap
On Saturday, I ran my 16 mile steady state run a little too fast. Again. I felt very, very good running 9:42 pace up until about mile 13. THAT'S when it occurred to me that I was probably running too fast. I began to feel like I was entering the final miles of a marathon.

Seems to me that it's a bit of a learned art to be able to hit just the right pace for a steady run or to be able to run hard for the right amount of time in a progression run. All in all, I was happy with the hard effort and the extra time spent on holding my stride together under heavy fatigue.
By the way I felt afterward, I assumed I was going to die need to take Sunday off. So it was a pleasant surprise to feel virtually recovered the next day. I ran an easy six with Nancy, Ty and Leopold. It was so nice to talk about the upcoming marathon trip, and enjoy an easy, fun, run together. I train almost exclusively by myself, so there are times I really miss the companionship of other people on a run.

Training Update
I'm pretty excited to say I don't believe I've peaked for this race yet. That's progress in itself- a sign I'm getting better at learning how to train! I peaked waaaay to early for my last 2 marathons- about 4 weeks early for Buffalo, and about 6 weeks early for Charlotte. I learned that while a 24 week training cycle might be ideal, you have to factor in your fitness level when you start, and deduct weeks accordingly. I also learned that I personally respond much faster to speed work than I do to the longer MP work, so I need to play around with my marathon buildup time, maximize my speed early (so it's not the limiting factor), and spend more time on marathon specific endurance work (which also shortens the training cycle).

Anyways, to suddenly realize that I don't quite feel ready for 4/25 was ... a relief! I feel like I still need the final little bit of training to get me there (vs. going into the race feeling like I just want it over with already).

There are signs I'm beginning to peak... One sign is much faster recoveries.. A few weeks ago, I was needing to take the next day off from a long key workout, and now I can push really hard- and be recovered the very next day. I also just feel really good. Things seem to be right on target. Warm fuzzies all around.

Road Trip

After Leopold and I went camping, I was telling him I wished we could take the tent with us to the race and camp out in Nancy's sister's backyard. I was joking, but I repeated this to Nancy on Sunday and she thought it was a great idea. She says her sister has a big backyard with a tent platform in a .... this is so cool....wait for it...TREE!

We get to sleep in a tent in a tree, people! I want to leave NOW.