Monthly Archives: March 2017

Training March 25th – 31st

This week 37.4 Miles, 7 hours 06 minutes 50 seconds, Pace average 11:25.   5095 calories

Saturday March 25th – 2.4 Mile Shakeout walk in 25:56 pace average 10:48.

Sunday March 26th – 26.2 Miles at the A2A Marathon in 4:53:18 pace average 11:12.

Monday March 27th – Day Off

Tuesday March 28th – Another Day Off

Wednesday March 29th – 4 Miles in 49:04 pace average 12:16.

Thursday March 30th – 4.8 Miles in 58:25 pace average 12:10.

Friday March 31st – Date night with my Wife!

I am very pleased with my A2A Marathon this last week. Took the rest of the week as a light recovery week. My training focus changes now. Time to prepare for my Continental European Centurion Qualifier. Focus more on the miles and less on the speed. Nine weeks away.

I want one of these!  They will not just give me one. I will have to earn it.

 

2017 A2A Marathon

My fourth year in a row to race this tough local Marathon. I always struggle in this point to point Marathon. The race has a Big down hill stretch early in the race. Nothing wrong with that. It is that long hill climbing up out of the caddo creek bottom. The rolling hills on the last 10km that make it tough.

This year the weather was a cool 48 degrees with light wind. Warmed up to 72 degrees with 20 mph wind at the finish. I started stiff with sore shins. My legs felt like they were made of concrete. About mile four I loosened up. From there to mile 23 I was smooth and fast. Well under my PB pace. The race felt easy. Then in typical A2A Marathon fashion the headwind and hills took their toll around mile 23. I ran out of gas. Rather than push on and risk possible injury I just eased up. Coasted in. A great Marathon for me. My third best finish time. Best finish ever at the A2A for me. I knew going in my recovery from Cowtown was not complete. Very Pleased. I finished with a 4:53:18.

The advantage of a race close to home is my support staff. My grandkids Dalton, Aubrey and Grandmom. I was GLAD to see them near the finish.

 

Training March 18th – 24th

This week 31.2 Miles, 5 hours 58 minutes 40 seconds, Pace average  11:30.  4029 calories

Saturday March 18th – 4.8 Miles in 55:39 pace average 11:36.  5 sets of 75 push-ups. 21 minutes of Planks.

Sunday March 19th – 8 Miles in 1:28:50 pace average 11:06.  3 sets of 30 squats.

Monday March 20th – 4.8 Miles in 54:31 pace average 11:22. 4 sets of 9 chin-ups, 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag.

Tuesday March 21st – 4.8 Miles in 56:20 pace average 11:44.

Wednesday March 22nd – 4.8 Miles in 56:57 pace average 11:52.

Thursday March 23rd – 4.0 Miles in 46:23 pace average 11:36.

Friday March 24th – Date night with my Wife!

This has been an up and down taper. I am not as rested as I was before the Cowtown 50K. I have no reason to push myself extra hard at the A2A Marathon. I will race by feel. My only goal is to finish under 5 hours.

Race Day Helps

It is tough to give good race day advice. What works well for me might not help you at all. Below are some things that have made my Race Day a success:

Triple Paste® prescription-strength medicated ointment.   During a race I get a heat rash under my arms, around my groin and bum crack.  I also get occasional chafing. Triple Paste has solved all these problems for me. The ointment is waterproof. I apply LIBERALLY under my arms, groin and bum. I don’t know any other way to say this but to just say it. It makes cleaning your bum easier if you make a sit down bathroom stop. If I have an area of chafing during the race (like my thighs rubbing) a dab of Triple Paste to the area stops it. I rate Triple Paste® prescription-strength medicated ointment As one of the greatest helps I have found to get to the end of a Centurion Race.

Nipple guards.  If you have been racing any time at all then you know how important this item is. I have tried several tapes and guards. The one that works best for me is NipGuard.

Every 100 Miler I raced I would have the same post race problem. My lips would have blisters on them. Very painful two to three days after the race. I guessed it was just stress from the race. Then after the British Centurion in Redcar I was reading Centurion Richard McChesney’s Blog  http://richardwalkslondon.com/  Richard mentioned after Redcar his lip sunburned. Well duh. Out in the sun all day. I protect my body with sun screen. Never my lips.  Now I use this before and during the race. Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen Lip Balm – SPF 50.

I rarely get toe blisters. If I do is is always around the nail on my big toe. Late in a race my feet get tired and my big toe bends up. The nail end hits the top of my shoe. Most races I don’t have a big toe nail so no problem. I find taping my big toe causes blisters on my other toes. I usually just tough out toe blisters. If I just can not take the pain I will slip on a Silopad digital cap.

I tape my feet. Late in a race I start to get a hot spot on the inside bottom of both heels.  I use Engo Patches inside my shoes in these areas. The patches help but after 80 miles I could still feel the blisters starting to form. Now I also tape my feet. I used a whole year of marathon racing to perfect my foot taping. You want to get the tape job correct. If you don’t the tape will cause more and different blister problems.

I use Leukotape P sports tape. First I clean my feet with alcohol wipes. The Leukotape P sports tape stays stuck to clean feet. I have never had the tape come loose when I properly clean my feet. Rather than try and tell about my tape pattern I will show it. (Note: I do this by myself. It is easier with help. Practice fixing your feet by yourself. You might just have to do that before or during a race). I place three strips of tape across the back bottom half of my foot (side to side) from forward toward the heel. Photo 1, 2 and 3. You must start with the most forward piece of tape. If you don’t start at the front all the pieces will come loose during the race.  Be sure that the next piece of tape overlaps the previous piece on the edges. Photo 4. Any place where the tape will not lay flat without bunching up pinch the tape together to make a tag. Photo 5. Use your scissors to cut these tags smooth off. Photo 6. Next I go around the back of my foot from side around the heel to side. Photo 7. Last I tape the bottom from underneath up the heel. Photo 8. I have not had a heel blister since I started taping my feet this way.

These Items get me to the End of a Centurion Race.

Training March 11th – 17th

This week 51.2 Miles, 10 hours 03 minutes 06 seconds, Pace average 11:47.  6558 calories

Saturday March 11th – 4.8 Miles in 56:06 pace average 11:41.  5 sets of 75 push-ups. 21 minutes of Planks.

Sunday March 12th – 20 Miles in 3:57:34 pace average 11:53.  3 sets of 30 squats.

Monday March 13th – 4.8 Miles in 56:55 pace average 11:51.  4 sets of 8 chin-ups, 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag.

Tuesday March 14th – 4.8 Miles in 56:19 pace average 11:44.  5 sets of 75 push-ups. 21 minutes of Planks.

Wednesday March 15th – 12 Miles in 2:23:22 pace average 11:57.  3 sets of 30 squats.

Thursday March 16th – 4.8 Miles in 52:50 pace average 11:00.  4 sets of 9 chin-ups, 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag.

Friday March 17th – Date night with my Wife!

Felt tired this week so I slowed my pace a little. Very happy to have my taper week coming up. Get my legs back under me for the A2A Marathon in just over a week.

Training March 4th – 10th

This week 51.2 Miles, 9 hours 53 minutes 17 seconds, Pace average 11:36.  6748 calories

Saturday March 4th – 4.8 Miles in 55:13 pace average 11:30.  5 sets of 75 push-ups. 21 minutes of Planks.

Sunday March 5th – 20 Miles in 3:49:14 pace average 11:28.  3 sets of 30 squats.

Monday March 6th – 4.8 Miles in 57:10 pace average 11:55.  4 sets of 7 chin-ups.

Tuesday March 7th – 4.8 Miles in 54:37 pace average 11:22.  5 sets of 75 push-ups.

Wednesday March 8th – Family activity.

Thursday March 9th -12 Miles in 2:21:26 pace average 11:47. 3 sets of 30 squats.

Friday March 10th – 4.8 Miles in 55:38 pace average 11:35.  4 sets of 8 chin-ups, 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag.

I had to juggle my schedule and some of my strength training was dropped this week. Life happens. No need to panic. No need to push reset. The most important thing to remember when training for a Centurion race is, Always get the mileage Walked. You can skip all the other stuff from time to time. The Mileage however, You need those miles and the time on your feet.

 

Training February 25th – March 3rd

This week 55.0 Miles, 10 hours 37 minutes 52 seconds, Pace average 11:36.  7108 calories

Saturday February 25th – 2.4 Miles shakeout walk in 26:59 pace average 11:14.

Sunday February 26th – The Cowtown 50K – 31 Miles in 5:50:45 pace average 11:18

Monday February 27th – 4 Miles in 49:42 pace average 12:25.

Tuesday February 28th – 4.8 Miles in 57:21 pace average 11:57.   5 sets of 75 push-ups. 21 minutes of Planks.

Wednesday March 1st – 8 Miles in 1:37:48 pace average 12:13.  3 sets of 30 squats.

Thursday March 2nd – 4.8 Miles in 55:24 pace average 11:32.  4 sets of 7 chin-ups, 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag.

Friday March 3rd – Date night with my Wife!

I had a great race at the Cowtown 50K this week. Pushed myself beyond my limit. Time now to expand that limit. Working out my soreness. I am not ever this sore after a Centurion race. I have a small local Marathon in just over three weeks. With a good recovery I would like to finish a marathon with a sub 11 minute mile average pace. We will see.