February 6, 2014

Spring Racing Schedule

I'm doing some things differently in training this year... I have a much smarter, more systematic plan. Instead of being completely self-coached, I now have an executive panel of high-level advisors. I'm working on balance, general strength / coordination, and self-massage pretty much every night. I'm finally using the foam roller and have learned to love (not-hate) it... after neglecting it for three years. Eventually I'll start eating healthier too (never said that before!). I'll do some more detailed posts about the tweaks to my training soon. I think its going to be a hell of a year for me. I'm ready for some major breakthroughs.

To start off, here is my spring racing schedule:


March 1 - Phoenix Half Marathon. My first "real" race of the season*. Every year we make a winter trip (or several) to Phoenix to visit my parents. Last year I won the marathon here. I'm excited to go back because the race directors are awesome and working hard to make this a great event. I'll run the half this time around and hopefully be in shape by then to run sub-66. After the race we're bee-lining to Sedona for a couple days of fun in red rock country. [*technically I opened up the season in Houston, but I wasn't really in shape to be racing yet... and I'll also have the entire SLC Winter Series (5K-10K-15K) under my belt by the end of February, but those are more or less glorified workouts]

2013 Phoenix Marathon


April 6 - USA 10 Mile Championship (Cherry Blossom). I haven't been back to DC since I lived there in the summer of 2008! When Cherry Blossom announced they were hosting the US Champs, Andrea and I had plane tickets booked within a few days. I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of friends before/after the race... and from a racing standpoint, when your goal race for the spring is the half-marathon, I can't think of a better fitness indicator than a 10-miler.

Racing track in DC, circa 2008


May 3 - Indianapolis 500 Festival Half Marathon. I ran the Indy Monumental Half last November and came away impressed. The organization for the "mini" is putting together a competitive field, and the course is flat and fast. My training is going to be geared towards running a big PR at Indy, and ideally running under the Olympic Trials qualifying time (1:05:00).


June 21 - Grandma's Marathon. Is it even a race schedule if it doesn't include a marathon? Grandma's is the best late spring/summer marathon with a field of guys running in the 2:15-2:20 range. There isn't a TON of time between Indy and Grandma's (7 weeks), but if I'm fit and healthy, that would be enough time to put in a short cycle of marathon-specific work.

Another idea I've considered, in the interest of chasing track PRS - The Music City Distance Carnival and Portland Track Festival are June 7th and 14th, respectively. I could potentially run the 5000m at MCDC, the 10,000m at PTF, and then run the Gerry Bjorklund Half Marathon in Duluth. That would be a lot of travel (and racing!) in a short period of time... and sort of expensive, too. We'll cross that bridge in May, after the Indy race. I'm leaning (99.9%) towards the marathon route for June.

The second half of the year is going to be devoted to a long, proper marathon build up. Canova style.

6 comments:

  1. Races all over the place! Sounds fun! I'm with you on self-massage and stretching. It's ridiculous how much time it takes! I've spent a lot of time on it over the last 2 years and it's been great for my overall fitness. I also think it helps me recover faster. Just posted on a book I read about running nutrition. Check it out. Good luck this year! Kristen

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  2. Thanks Kristen. It will be a lot of travel - good thing they (sometimes) let you leave your iPad on during takeoff and landing now.

    I've heard Fitzgerald's book is very good... although I can probably sum up the changes I need to make w/out a book - "keep doing what I'm doing, except eat less candy" :-)

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  3. Man, run the distance carnival. You'd have a free place to stay!

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    1. If I was very confident I could run under 14:30/29:30, I'd consider going that route. Definitely would expect a night out on the town in Music City... or Hendersonville, though.

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  4. Do you know for sure that you can get in the US 10 Mile Champs? The website says you need a sub 48:00 or equivalent.

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    1. Jim - I don't know for sure. That's a good point. I was thinking they might loosen that standard a little, b/c that's also for hotel/travel which I wouldn't be expecting. I guess if I didn't make the cut, I'd just run the regular Cherry Blossom run, which is essentially the same thing.

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