Marathon month. Time to run long and take it easy.
Unfortunately had some blister problems at the beginning and middle of the month which intervened a bit with my training. Wished I would have ran more the first 2 weeks.
February
1. Rest
2. Rest
3. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 21 km @ 4.05 pace
4. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 24 km @ 4.10 pace
5. Jog 17 km
6. Rest
7. Jog 32 km @ 4 min pace down to 3.40
8. Rest
9. Jog 18 km
10. Rest
11. Jog 20 km
12. Jog 17 km
13. Rest
14. Jog 21 km @ 3.55
15. Rest
16. Rest
17. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 18 km @ 4.05 pace
18. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 9 km
19. Jog 17 km @ 4.10 pace
20. Rest
21. Jog 17 km @ 4.10 pace
22. Rest
23. Bike commute 22 km
5 km tempo 17.23 : Total - 13 km
24. Bike commute 22 km
Jog 9 km
25. Rest
26. Rest
27. Rest
28. Tokyo Marathon - 2.47
Total run: 297 km
Total bike: 132 km
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The Sequel: Tokyo Marathon 2010
It took two years to have a sequel of 2008's heroic marathon debut run of yours truly. In that run I managed to pull a 4 minute negative split and a sub 8 minute run for the final 2.195 km. Making a sequel for this would be a challenge.
On script the climax would be achieving an over 10 minute personal best and although all preparations were made to have the perfect shoot, the weather - GOD, decided not to cooperate and Tokyo Reloaded went from been a heroic flick to becoming a survival movie...
The Weather
When I woke up I took a peek out the window. RAIN ... heavy rain. I opened the window slightly ... cold and windy.
The morning
Woke up and decided to go on facebook for a minute to relax a little. We all know though that a minute in facebook translates to 10 minutes in the real world. So once again I found myself leaving in a rush.
Arrived at about 8 am with only 30 minutes left to hand in my bag - meaning only 30 minutes left to get changed, listen to any final tunes, make any calls, etc. When it hit me ... I had forgotten my bandaids. My very important nipple protectors.
The search for bandaids had begun ... rushed to the nearest convinience store only to discover they were sold out ... same story in the next two. MAN!
*My nipples bleed if I do not cover them with bandaids
Time: 8:20 - time to get back
Rushed to the truck to get my stuff taken and in the middle of all the crazyness I forgot to take out my 3 powergels, my fuel support for the race!
Time: 8:35
Changed, drenched, cold, but at least ready ... wait mental phone ringing. Who is it? It's nature calling.
The Race
I was able to get right infront of the A block as I got into the race from the expectator side rather than the runners entrance. Just jumped in, cut right infront of some 34,500 people.
Went out hard, going through the first kilometer in 4 minutes and considering the crowd, that first split was probably a sub 3.50 effort. It was very cold so I kept smashing on sub 3.50 splits trying to get warm for the first few kilometers. I don't know if this was one of the factors that slowed be at the end, but I felt comfortable at that pace.
When I reached the 20km mark I knew I was in trouble. A strange pain hit my ankles. I think they were frozen or something which caused the remaining 22 km to be very uncomfortable. I slowed down a bit to my original goal pace of 3.50. By kilometer 25 I could not keep that pace anymore as I had trouble bending my ankles and was hit by a strong and freezing head wind which forced me to slow down to an average 3.58 pace. 30km on it became all about survivial.
Tried to keep my brain busy. Brett told while pacing me in 2008 that a key point to have a successful race is to keep good thoughts in mind. As long as your brain is busy with positive thoughts your legs will keep moving and you will finish before you know it. I thought about the advise. Then looked at the weather and thought "I am fucked".
By the time I reached the hilly area after 35km the weather had fortunately improved a bit. But I was frozen and could not lift my legs to run fast anymore. It was all about surviving and trying to finish in the fastest time possible. I knew that as long as I finished I would have a personal best. That is all I kept in my mind. I have to get to the finish line.
2 hours and 47 minutes later I arrived. Cold, disappointed, shaking and with no positive thoughts in my mind.
There were only two good things about this race. The place I finished in: Top 170 out of over 30,000 runners pro included (as it became a survival event many fast runners ended dying at some point). And the experience of finishing this race. I know that future race won't be as challenging and will always have this race to think about as I am presented with easier challenges.
Below my splits in my watch:
4.00 - 3.37 - 3.40 - 3.47 - 3.45 = about 18.49
3.41 - 3.50 - 3.49 - 3.48 - 3.44 = about 18.52
3.47 - 3.47 - 3.47 - 3.49 - 3.46 = about 18.56 (official 18.59)
3.49 - 3.51 - 3.49 - 3.49 - 3.56 = about 19.14 (official 19.16)
3.53 - 3.53 - 3.55 - 3.55 - 3.57 = about 19.33 (official 19.36)
3.57 - 4.00 - 4.04 - 3.53 - 3.53 = about 19.47 (official 19.49)
4.01 - 4.04 - 4.05 - 4.11 - 4.11 = about 20.32 (official 20.34)
4.14 - 4.15 - 4.19 - 4.17 - 4.25 = about 21.30 (official 21.33)
4.35 - 5.05 = about 9.40 (official 9.40)
On script the climax would be achieving an over 10 minute personal best and although all preparations were made to have the perfect shoot, the weather - GOD, decided not to cooperate and Tokyo Reloaded went from been a heroic flick to becoming a survival movie...
The Weather
When I woke up I took a peek out the window. RAIN ... heavy rain. I opened the window slightly ... cold and windy.
The morning
Woke up and decided to go on facebook for a minute to relax a little. We all know though that a minute in facebook translates to 10 minutes in the real world. So once again I found myself leaving in a rush.
Arrived at about 8 am with only 30 minutes left to hand in my bag - meaning only 30 minutes left to get changed, listen to any final tunes, make any calls, etc. When it hit me ... I had forgotten my bandaids. My very important nipple protectors.
The search for bandaids had begun ... rushed to the nearest convinience store only to discover they were sold out ... same story in the next two. MAN!
*My nipples bleed if I do not cover them with bandaids
Time: 8:20 - time to get back
Rushed to the truck to get my stuff taken and in the middle of all the crazyness I forgot to take out my 3 powergels, my fuel support for the race!
Time: 8:35
Changed, drenched, cold, but at least ready ... wait mental phone ringing. Who is it? It's nature calling.
The Race
I was able to get right infront of the A block as I got into the race from the expectator side rather than the runners entrance. Just jumped in, cut right infront of some 34,500 people.
Went out hard, going through the first kilometer in 4 minutes and considering the crowd, that first split was probably a sub 3.50 effort. It was very cold so I kept smashing on sub 3.50 splits trying to get warm for the first few kilometers. I don't know if this was one of the factors that slowed be at the end, but I felt comfortable at that pace.
When I reached the 20km mark I knew I was in trouble. A strange pain hit my ankles. I think they were frozen or something which caused the remaining 22 km to be very uncomfortable. I slowed down a bit to my original goal pace of 3.50. By kilometer 25 I could not keep that pace anymore as I had trouble bending my ankles and was hit by a strong and freezing head wind which forced me to slow down to an average 3.58 pace. 30km on it became all about survivial.
Tried to keep my brain busy. Brett told while pacing me in 2008 that a key point to have a successful race is to keep good thoughts in mind. As long as your brain is busy with positive thoughts your legs will keep moving and you will finish before you know it. I thought about the advise. Then looked at the weather and thought "I am fucked".
By the time I reached the hilly area after 35km the weather had fortunately improved a bit. But I was frozen and could not lift my legs to run fast anymore. It was all about surviving and trying to finish in the fastest time possible. I knew that as long as I finished I would have a personal best. That is all I kept in my mind. I have to get to the finish line.
2 hours and 47 minutes later I arrived. Cold, disappointed, shaking and with no positive thoughts in my mind.
There were only two good things about this race. The place I finished in: Top 170 out of over 30,000 runners pro included (as it became a survival event many fast runners ended dying at some point). And the experience of finishing this race. I know that future race won't be as challenging and will always have this race to think about as I am presented with easier challenges.
Below my splits in my watch:
4.00 - 3.37 - 3.40 - 3.47 - 3.45 = about 18.49
3.41 - 3.50 - 3.49 - 3.48 - 3.44 = about 18.52
3.47 - 3.47 - 3.47 - 3.49 - 3.46 = about 18.56 (official 18.59)
3.49 - 3.51 - 3.49 - 3.49 - 3.56 = about 19.14 (official 19.16)
3.53 - 3.53 - 3.55 - 3.55 - 3.57 = about 19.33 (official 19.36)
3.57 - 4.00 - 4.04 - 3.53 - 3.53 = about 19.47 (official 19.49)
4.01 - 4.04 - 4.05 - 4.11 - 4.11 = about 20.32 (official 20.34)
4.14 - 4.15 - 4.19 - 4.17 - 4.25 = about 21.30 (official 21.33)
4.35 - 5.05 = about 9.40 (official 9.40)
* official times are slower because they add the tenth of seconds as well.
* for some reason my chip did not record times for the first 10 km, still waiting for the certificate and hoping something to be there.
Also still waiting for my official time. For now it is about a 2.47.15
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