I didn't plan it exactly this way, but I might already be tapering for the Chicago Marathon. I just ran my highest mileage week last week in
Boston where I managed to run 82.5 miles (a weekly PDR) at an average of 7:57 per mile. I don't think I will run that much mileage again this week. I have been doing cutback weeks every other week all training cycle so I probably need to treat myself to another cutback and (only!) run about 73 miles this week. As you can see below, after this week, there are only three weeks left and I'm planning on decreasing mileage from here on out. So I guess you could stay I'm in the first week of my four week taper!
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| My marathon training plan with the actual miles in blue. |
I may be jinxing myself here, but since last week, I have had absolutely no problem holding a 7:00/mile pace for what seems like indefinitely. If shooting for a sub-3 hour marathon meant a 6:58/mile pace then I would probably not hesitate at "going for broke". But alas, I would realistically need to hold a 6:46 pace for 26.5 miles*, and I might be just shy of the fitness required to do that come race day. So as of right now, I'm still planning on just PRing this marathon (6:59/mile) which would put me at somewhere under 3:05:03. Not only would that be a PR, but it would BQ me by over 20 minutes which means early, early, early registration for Boston 2016!
Speaking of BQing, I decided not to submit my finishing time (and money) in order to run the 2015 Boston Marathon next April. I am thinking instead of running a "local" marathon for the spring, perhaps Carmel, Indiana, which is a flat course and only costs $65! I'll probably set my sights on the running the Boston Marathon again in 2016. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, so I'll (try and) keep my focus on Chicago next month!
Here are some more pics from my runs during my
trip to Boston last week. I stayed on Beacon Street near the 23 mile marker on Beacon. The Boston Marathon mile indicators were painted on the ground every mile along the street:
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Boston Marathon Mile 25 Marker painted on the Street.
The Water Station goes here! |
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| Sailboats on the Charles River at Sunset |
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| Rowers on the Charles River at Sunset |
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| Boston Skyline in the Morning |
Anyway, that's it for now. I just need to keep healthy and I should be good to go for my PR attempt on October 12th! How is everyone else's training going for the Chicago Marathon (or other races)?
*26.5 is my typical marathon length due to an additional 0.3 miles of not running the tangents perfectly.
Sounds like you're definitely good to go Pete!
ReplyDeleteThanks Marcia! I hope so. :)
DeleteWoo hoo, taper time! Enjoy your "cutback" week. ;) Gorgeous photos! The big races do tend to be horribly expensive, which is a big bummer. That's why I haven't registered for Chicago for the past few years.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yes, Chicago is expensive, but it is really my favorite day of the year by far, so to me it is worth every penny!
DeleteYou should join Kelly and I at the Circular Logic Marathon at the end of March! We both highly recommend running in circles. I PRd there! It's flat! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's a possibility. I don't know how I'd fare running in a circle 26 times, but maybe it would be fun? :)
DeleteThanks. Gotta love a nice long taper. I did not take a long taper last year (only 1 week) and my legs suffered during the race! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your 82.5 weekly PDR! That is AMAZING.
ReplyDeleteOooh, a marathon in Carmel for only $65!?!? YES! I think we've all gotten so jilted by the high costs of the World Marathon Majors and Rock N Roll races that we tend to focus less on all the nice, local races. I've seen that just getting out of Chicago city limits will save a ton of money on race fees!
I hope you are enjoying your taper. Amazing pictures, as always!
Thanks. I wasn't planning on the PDR, but such things happen! I can't believe how cheap races are outside of the city limits! I might have to offset that low, low price with a hotel room and a couple of dinners out, but I'll get a mini-vacation to boot! :)
DeleteSounds like your training has been spot on! I love that even with your high mileage, you never ran a 20 miler. That gives validation to my plan too. I keep telling people there are many ways to run a marathon. I'm looking forward to hearing how it goes for you. How many miles per week do you run for your taper?
ReplyDelete~Wendy
Yes. I kind of follow the Hansons Marathon Method with the 16 miler as the max. It allows me to train fairly hard the next day, rather than taking the day off. Anyway, the high mileage and limited rest beforehand makes the 16 miler feel like the last 16 miles of the marathon, not the first! Taper mileage: 70, 52, 43. These may be subject to change, however!
DeleteI imagine with a large crowded marathon like Chicago it would be pretty impossible to run exactly 26.2 miles. The elites probably get close. Good luck on the last few weeks of training!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun trip to Boston! Love it there.
ReplyDeleteI almost choked in the part where you wrote holding 7:00/mile pace indefinitely. :-)
$65 for a marathon is quite a deal. I am on a break from them but will eventually run another one once I get my mojo back to tolerate long runs.