Status

After some solid training before the US trip, it all took a bit of a turn for the worse.

The few days before went well, and the trip was only supposed to be the standard out and back, 3 days all in total. As Thursday was a long day getting there, there would be no running, but a run planned for Friday.
As it turns out, there was an unexpected issue with the aircraft, which meant going nowhere fast until Monday night! At least I got my planned run in on Friday, a beautiful easy 9 miles along the Seattle coastline.
After a nice surprise trip to a Billy Joel concert on Friday night, and a few complimentary beverages, I wasn't in much shape for a run Saturday. Sunday I set aside the afternoon, and again a slightly shorter 6 miles easy, a 30 minute gym session on some light weights, followed by two fast miles on the treadmill.
As I was not going to make the virgin night run, I hoped for the local club 5k on Tuesday night.

I flew back to Ireland on Monday night into Tuesday, landing back in a sunny Dublin just after 4pm.
When I got home I had hoped for some time to sleep, and I got a little cat nap of about 40 minutes and went and signed up for the 5k. Unfortunately, as I strolled over to sign up, I realised I had gotten the start time wrong by 30 minutes, and it was a quick dash to get changed and make it to the start line.
This was the first short race I had done in a very long time, and I was a bit unsure how I would fair out. I looked around for some familiar faces, trying to position myself with those whom I had previously compared well with.
At the off, I set the watch for a 6:10 mile pace, and mile one was 6 minutes flat. This felt pretty comfortable, and I had forgotten how much the adrenalin of a race helps your performance. The route is a particularly rolling route, with practically no flat segments, and a net uphill gradient.
At mile two, I was still going well, and the hard segment never arrived. I finished at 18:39,  2nd M40,  28th out of a field of 315. While nothing great, I was pleasantly surprised.
The effort was constant throughout, and I managed a pretty solid sprint finish.

A 6 mile easy recovery on Wednesday, wife's turn to get out after work on Thursday. Friday, 1 mile warmup, 10k at 39:37 and I was quite pleased with that too, two miles easy to finish.
Saturday, a 9 mile at 7:20 and then a 9 mile bike ride. Why? I ran out to a friends house and cycled home!
My planned long run Sunday didn't happen as I got a short notice call to go to work which scuppered the rest of the evening.
Today no run either as I had a very eRly start and a long day in the UK. I am consoling myself that the routine should stabilise now, and the weather is forecast good for the rest of the week, so plenty of long runs for a high mileage week in the last 5 days is on the cards.

Not Marathon Training

As recovery continues, it seems I am finding it difficult to come out of marathon mode.
I know I should start to focus a bit more on some faster pace stuff, but when the weather is so good as it has been this week, I just want to go out and take advantage of it. This, combined with the habit now of high mileage (relatively speaking compared to some), saw me clocking up 60 miles this week.

Monday was an easy 10k recovery after Sundays 16 miler.
Tuesday I decided to try and up some tempo speed. I started off with an easy 3 mile warmup, and then set off at a 6:30 pace hoping for 6 miles. The first mile was very tough, as I checked the watch, I couldn't believe how hard I perceived the effort to be to keep just on pace. It felt like I was running closer to 6 minute pace. Mile two I was starting to re-evaluate how long I was going to be able to maintain the pace, and was beginning to consider breaking it into 3x2. I pushed on for three miles, and the effort got a lot less as I settled into the pace, and my breathing rhythm adjusted. By mile 5 I was cruising along, and upped the pace a bit. On mile 6 I decided to try for a sub 40 10k, and I just tipped in at 39:57 on the watch. I was very happy with that, it had been a while since I was able for a sub 40. The funny thing was, at 6:30, I knew I could have comfortably kept going much further.

Wednesday another easy 10k.
Thursday I went out for some hill repeats. It was a hilly 4 miles to the hill in question, 8 reps was about 1.5 miles. My mistake was forgetting I had to make it home! It was a fairly painful run home with 9 miles for the session.
Friday again an easy recovery, Saturday 9 easy miles, and Sunday two hours at an easy pace, which incorporated a beach segment and some hills. I only did 15 miles in the two hours compared with 16 last week.

I am away to the US this week, so mileage will definitely be less. I have signed up for the Virgin media 10k next Sunday, my first short run in quite some time.

Further Recovery

Recovery workouts continue.
Wednesday was a rest day. Thursday I decided to test the legs again.
With one mile warmup, I started into a planned 8 miles, at roughly a tempo pace ( for my current state) which was to be 6:50. It all started easy enough and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it felt. This surprise did not last very long. After 3 tempo miles, the pace became a lot tougher.
By the time I hit 6 miles, the effort was more of a 10k effort pace, and I almost finished there. However, I was determined to push it out, and while the last mile was a struggle to stay on pace, I finished the full 8 at the planned pace, for a small cool down with just about 9.5 miles.
I was pleased that I managed to finish, but disappointed at how hard the effort was towards the end.
On Friday, I went out for an easy 6 miles. Within the first mile I started to get a sharp pain in my knee, which quickly spread to my hamstring.
I could have turned around, but I was curious to see how it would develop, or disappear. After 3 miles, while the pain had subsided, it was definitely much better. At the end, it was still there and I was glad to finish. I spent a good while stretching out the hamstring trying to work out the pain.
I also self massaged the leg over the next day, and didn't run on Saturday. I think it may be my legs telling me that I was trying to run too hard too fast.
Today was long run day. I have been doing a little bit of reading lately, and I am going to try and mix it up a bit with these. As I was still in recovery mode, I just ran easy, no faster than 7:37, and many towards the 8 minute mile pace. The route was also quite hilly. Another addition, is that I am going to start experimenting with using energy gels. Today I used cliff shots, one at every 4 miles with some water, and they had no adverse effect. I probably didn't push myself hard enough to see any benefit from them, and i finished 16 miles at 2:05, quite an easy pace. But I didn't feel in the least bit nauseous afterwards, which is the very first time I haven't. It will be interesting to see when I get back to the 20 mile runs if I can utilise them and see any benefits.
Every week will have at least one 2 hour run from now on (hopefully).
The legs were quite tired at the end of the run, if I had a flat road ahead I could have kept going, but I couldn't face any more hills at that point.
49 miles for the week was a pretty good result I think, three weeks tomorrow after Boston.
That's by far the most miles I have run so soon after a marathon, and I hope puts me in good shape to start pushing a bit harder soon enough.

Post Boston Recovery

For the week after Boston, things were fairly predictable. Very sore legs on Tuesday which was mostly spent resting, and on Wednesday I was back at work. I got a few strange looks from some of the people at the meetings where they did not know I had run a marathon two days earlier.
By Thursday I was much improved, almost back to normal walking, and by Friday I was fine. Fine being a relative term, I was still very conscious of the marathon on the legs, but nobody would have noticed.
Saturday was the first day I ventured out for a very short easy two mile run on grass. I probably could have done more, but I had the kids with me and they got bored.
I didn't run Sunday, and Monday was another easy two miles.
On Tuesday, I ventured a little further, with an easy 6 miles, average around 8 minute miles. The same on Wednesday, a little faster but at the same effort left if around 7:50 average. Thursday the same, and on Friday I decided a little test of recovery was in order. After an easy four mile warmup at almost 8 minute miles, I ran 3 miles at 7:10, 6:55, and 6:45. It felt fine, and I did 3 easy miles home to finish at 10.
I took a break Saturday, I know Friday wasn't particularly far or fast, but I wanted to ease back into it and not risk injury. Sunday I did a very hilly 9 miles, which I hope to insert more of in my programme.
Monday was back to easy 6, and on Tuesday I decided on a further test of recovery. An easy 1 mile warmup, and I started into 4 miles tempo at planned 6:30 pace. 6:20, 6:23, 6:24 and 6:19 to finish.
My legs felt fine, it was my fitness at speed I struggled with, I suppose it has been a while since I strung a few fast miles together. Two miles easy to finish was 7 in total. I believe that while obviously I am not fully over the marathon, I am almost to the point where I can start some harder training again.

I haven't dwelt too much on My Boston performance, only too say I am still scratching my head a little. While it was a hot day, and all the other things I mentioned, I was fairly sure of where I was before I started. I believe I have a good idea of where I am most times when it comes to likely performance, and while trying for a sub 3 at Dublin last year was always a risky gamble, I honestly believed I was in better shape than then where I ran 10 minutes faster.
No point in dwelling on it, but I would be keen to test myself over a distance sooner rather than later. If I have a fitness there associated with the training, I would like to maintain it and try again sooner rather than later. I suppose it's finding the balance between getting the last marathon out of the legs somewhat, and not losing fitness. Even a 3:15 to 3:20 would almost vindicate my thoughts.

Time to start looking at close in options.

Boston Race Report

Saturday finally came around, as it inevitably would, and it was time to head off for Boston at last. On my own, no family, no club mates.

For anyone who has not been, Boston is a really beautiful city. My hotel was very centrally located, right at Boston commons and garden. The day I arrived the weather was lovely, cloudless skies, and the park was full of people, walking, jogging, lying on the grass, playing tennis, and just enjoying the atmosphere.

I spent the day getting my bearings, and having a good look around. I struggled to find somewhere for dinner, just because I probably wasn't looking in the right places, and ended up with Pizza and chips. Hydration is important in the days leading up to a marathon, not just on the day, so I was drinking plenty of water.

On Sunday, I had planned to go to the expo. Unfortunately, I was faced with a bit of a mini drama with the hotel. When I booked through booking.com, I requested a late checkout as I was planning on flying home on the day of the marathon, and I needed somewhere to shower and change afterwards.
The hotel however, could not give me a late checkout, and I was faced with nowhere to freshen up after, and as the airport didn't have showers either, I was getting a bit worried. So I checked the website again, and there were lots of hotels in the area with late availability. (Not worth the risk, but they were significantly cheaper than advertised months earlier).
I found a hotel, just as convenient to the finish line, which could do the late checkout, but I had to walk to it to find out the details. Then back to my own hotel, which then decided they could do the late checkout, then I went to the expo. Long story short, a lot of walking on Sunday.

Up at 5 am on marathon Monday, and a hearty enough breakfast. The system for start/finish at Boston is as follows: Bring your kit bag to the finish line early in the morning. Then get a bus, which takes about 45 minutes to the start line. Athletes village is fairly impressive. There was lots of free tea and coffee, fruit, water and energy bars. Importantly, there were lots of portaloo's!

I had turned my garmin on in the hotel the day before so it could orientate itself, then turned it off again. When I got to athletes village, I again turned it on, and nothing, just an info page. Not to worry, off and on again. Nothing. Off and on again, and so forth. Panic starting. No pacers, its Boston. I spotted a couple sitting on the grass with the same model garmin, and I asked them if they had seen the problem before, and they had. They advised a reset should do the trick, but try as they might, they could not remember the sequence. A lady was walking by with a phone, and I asked her if she could google the reset procedure, and within a short space of time, I had a whole rescue squad working on trying to get the watch working. After a few minutes, success! panic over, we had a watch.

Wave 1, corral 7, was my start position. Some advice, leave the athletes village at the earliest opportunity to get to the start line. Its about a 10 minute walk, and the last chance for loo break. The loo's here had long lines. There is not much chance for warming up pre-race either.
The weather forecast had varied over the previous few days, with temperatures ranging from 14 to 22 degrees Celsius. as it turned out, it was hot, very hot. The paddy had no sunscreen, and a more well prepared guy than me offered me some of his. One thing I will say, runners are always a friendly bunch, but the friendliness at Boston is outstanding.

Approaching 10am and the anticipation was building. Another thing, there is no skipping corals at Boston. Security was very tight, there were snipers and soldiers on roof tops, police everywhere, and even two black hawk helicopters, along with multiple police helicopters.

As we waited, I could already feel the sun starting to burn, it was hot! At the gun, it took about 6 minutes for us to make our way across the start line. and we were off. Exciting stuff, and I felt very proud to be a part of it. Not long in, a runner came along side and said 'howya Stamullen'. it was an Irish guy who had known I was there, we chatted briefly and off he went aiming for a sub 3. I found out later he did 3:01, and I subsequently apologised for delaying him chatting to me!
The first mile is downhill, and the corral system worked brilliantly, everyone pretty much on the same pace. My target was 3:10 to 3:15 so I set a 7:10 pace on the watch. Mile two came and the shelter of the trees was less. I knew I would have to stay hydrated on a day like this, so I elected to take on fluids early. Normally in training I would take no water until at least 6 miles, but that was in temperatures of around 8 degrees. Everyone had the same idea, and there were water and Gatorade at every mile. Unfortunately, the biggest flaw in the Boston system was about to reveal itself. Cups! Cups of water, and Gatorade. 30,000 runners, all grabbing for cups. Half full cups. and the result? Chaos at the water stations. a nice steady 7:10 pace, screwed up every mile, whether you wanted water or not, people slowing to grab cups, crossing each other etc, those of you who have run a marathon know what its like. The temperature for the first seven miles was 25 degrees (I found out after), so you had to hydrate. Losing 10 to 15 seconds at water stations, meant having to run 6:50 to 6:55 for the rest of the mile, but the worst part was the break in the rhythm. Well, I say worst part, closely followed by trying to drink from a cup while running, and more going over your face and up your nose than actually in your mouth! The amount you take in each time is less than a mouthful, but you can't try to grab a second cup for fear of a pile up!

7:07, 7:06, 7:04, 7:04, 7:09, 7:02, 7:03, 7:10, 7:07, 7:10.
After 10 miles, the heat was taking it's toll. At 11 miles, I came across something I have never seen at another marathon, runners walking. That would not usually happen so early, and these guys started ahead of me.

7:15, 7:06, 7:10. Temperature drops to 22 degrees.
The half way point. Time to assess, as I always do at this point. Again, like Dublin last year, I was fine with the pace, but knew that at 10 miles later, I would not be. I decided to keep it going for the moment, and ease back shortly to conserve energy. The water stations were still pissing me off though!! It was making tough work even tougher.
7:10, 7:19 (the hills are starting) 7:08 (push hard into the hills) 8:00 (the hills win!!).
8:36, 8:32. I decided to ease up the pace over these miles to conserve some energy, if I can make it to 21, the hills will be over.
8:50. The hills are not over yet, I resort to walking through the water stations, this gives me a break and ensures I get an adequate amount of fluid in.
10:02, heartbreak hill. Its not overly steep, it does drag on tough, and I just had to get over it, so I walked a bit. At this point, I swear, there were more walkers than runners.
Unfortunately, the medical tents at each mile, all had people in them, most I suspect suffering from the heat and dehydration. I later found out that the medical tent at the finish treated 1400 people.
8:45, 9:05, walking through the water stations and a slow steady run for the rest of the mile. While it was slow, and the legs were tired, my head was up, and I didn't feel like shite! I just knew I didn't want to kill myself, I had undertaken at the outset to try and enjoy the experience, and not curse it.
9:38, 10:31 (some walking I'm afraid), 8:51 for mile 26 to finish.

Around the corner onto Boylston street, with the finish line in sight, a very emotional experience.
The year of the bombings, I was so angry that sport, and particularly running, had been attacked, and so many innocent people had been killed and injured.
You could feel the sense of defiance and determination from both runners and spectators alike, beyond the act of just finishing the marathon, it was a statement from all present to the scum who kill and maim the innocent. I have enjoyed every finish, but this was something special, and the time was irrelevant,(luckily)! At the finish, the temperature was only 18.5 degrees, practically chilly.

Back to the hotel, shower, and a well earned pint in the local Irish bar, then off to the airport for the flight home, back at the house 13 hours after finishing.

On balance, again, I obviously didn't have the training done that I thought I did. Pre-race, I was actually pretty confident of my target, but again, I need to adjust my expectations I think until I start making the time for more miles. Having said that, I made up my mind last year that I would never again be disappointed with a 'bad' time. I was delighted to finish, and loved the experience. Boston, and its people, are brilliant.

Comparing London and Boston, for me, London wins by a whisker. The expo at London was brilliant, Boston not so much. The start and finish logistics for London are a bit more runner friendly. The hydration strategy at London, bottles, is far superior. Support from both crowds is brilliant, although the Americans are a bit more whacky with their ideas!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho.

It's off to Boston I go!

Flight in the morning, bag almost packed.
The last two weeks have been a bit of a disappointment in running terms. I had hoped to keep the mileage going at around 50 last week, but it didn't happen. I had a plan for a tempo and a long run, and ended up doing a hybrid of both.
So last Saturday was 9 days out from Marathon day, Gary's advice is to run your last hard run about 10 days out from the target race. So I did one mile warmup at 7:20, and then into a planned 10 mile at 6:55. The reason it was 6:55 was that I wanted to run about 20 seconds faster per mile than target.
I wasn't sure how the 10 miles would work out. It went quite well, the pace feeling quite easy, and banking a few seconds each mile unintentionally. At the 10 miles I stopped and clocked in at 6:49 average for the session, with almost 2 miles home that gave me just short of 13 miles.
Rest on Sunday and Monday, 5 miles easy at 7:35 Tuesday.
Wednesday I went to the track. After 1 mile warmup, I planned 3x1 mile at 6:40 with 1 minute recovery. The paces were 6:16, 6:29 and 6:27. They just felt so easy, I struggled to slow them down. I think it's a combination of two things. The taper is leaving me with fresh legs so they are strong, which is a good sign, and when I run on the track my brain thinks I should be running hard.

Today was a 1 mile warmup, 3 miles at planned 6:50, which ended at 6:42 average, and a 1 mile cool down, and that's it!

Weather forecast is 22 degrees Celsius for the marathon day, which does not bode well. The website already talks of the dangers of heat stroke, and recommends running slower than planned pace, which makes me wonder do they know their audience!

I will play it by ear on the day and assess the conditions. No pressure of a sub 3 attempt, it was never on the cards. I would like to finish this one at a consistent pace after the crash at Dublin, just to get my confidence back. If I can pull it back towards a 3:10 time I would be delighted, but once I beat my Dublin time then it's a win.

A Gap in the Market

So as previously mentioned, not a lot of miles this week.
Due to many variables, I didn't get out on Friday or Saturday which was very disappointing.
Today was the last planned 20 miler, with 15 days to go. Gary has no difficulty advocating high mileage right up to the week previous to the marathon, and then the mileage drops off a cliff for the week before.
The weather was forecast for rain, clearing towards afternoon. I tried to leave it as late as possible, but at 1pm I just had to get going or the rest of the day would be gone.
It was still spilling as I headed out. Boston are using Gatorade endurance formula as their sports drink. As I have never had it before, last week when I was in the US I picked up a six pack of Gatorade in the same flavour. It was not endurance formula, but thirst quencher, which is a less strong  formula, but I figured it would give me a good idea if I could stomach it or not. Last thing you want to do on a marathon is taste a new drink for the first time.
So as I went out I was carrying two bottles, one of water, and a Gatorade. I hate carrying drinks!
After a few miles I was thoroughly soaked. I had set the garmin for a 7:25 pace, but for some reason it measured the first mile way too fast at 6:55, which it was not. I reset it, and kept going into the rain.

A thought struck me as I was trodding along. Athletes go to the likes of Sevelle for warm weather training, Madrid and Portugal for altitude training, why don't we market Ireland as a wet weather training destination! There is no shortage of the stuff, and if the rain is not around, it will surely be windy! Genius, no?

Anyway, back to the run, 7:25 was proving a very easy pace, likely as I hadn't run the previous two days and the legs were fresh. The Gatorade was no problem on the stomach at mile 11, and I drank it over the next three miles. Mile 17 and 18 were the fastest at sub 7:10 each, and I finished quite strongly at an average of 7:19 for 20 miles.

Being critical, two things. I had only 18 miles on the legs for the preceding 6 days, and i only ran for less than 2:30hrs. The second point is crucial. I know that the real test comes passing that 2:30 point, on the day I will still have plenty of minutes left to do, and that is what the longer slower runs are designed to simulate.

Shorter faster stuff for this week, and then the taper.