Success by Failure

Goal Time: 2:19:00

Finish Time: 2:21:28

I'm calling this post "Success by Failure". It was not a successful venture today in terms of hitting my goal time, but like any running event that a runner enters, there are several goals. The ultimate would have been to come across that finish line in less than 2 hours, 19 minutes. It was not meant to be today. And although that may be failure to reach a goal, another goal was accomplished. "Staying in contact". That was what I kept repeating to myself when it became apparent I would not reach my goal time. Although I wasn't completely sure I wouldn't until the final mile, I had hints that it would be difficult as early on as mile 8 or 9. I knew I was falling behind in time, but today was successful because I was "staying in contact" with my goal time.

2 minutes, 28 seconds is a lot of time, but consider this. 21 seconds faster per mile over the next 8 miles would get me to my goal in the marathon. Of course that is no easy task, but here are some facts that I considered when thinking of today as a whole:

1. 
   
   I just ran eighteen (18) miles six days ago. My legs barely recovered from that training run.


2. 
   
   In addition, I ran a hard five miler on Thursday.


3. 
   
   The first 3.7 miles of this race (Just a Short Run) was a nightmare for the 30k participants. All 30k runners started 1/2 mile behind the 5k runners/walkers and half marathon runners. In a few minutes we caught up to that "wall" of runners and walkers and we probably zig-zagged an extra half mile going in and out of those folks. Not the best situation.


4. 
   
   I broke a few runners rules leading up to this length of a race. I did not taper my training at all. I meant to punish myself at this point (5 weeks to go). I inserted this race in place of a 20 mile training run, and actually 'raced' this race. I also took body glide and gels with me, and left them in the car. What an idiot!


5. 
   
   All those things considered and I narrowly missed my goal time speaks volumes for me. It doesn't guarantee a BQ time, but I'm confident that with 5 weeks to go, I'm still in the neighborhood. It's definintely possible and I proved that to myself today.

Sure, it will be difficult and I've got a very tough 21 days in front of me, but I'm going to work hard and give it my best shot. Had I come across the line another 2 minutes later, I doubt I'd feel this way, but knowing that I stayed "within 2 minutes" of my goal time and that was the secondary goal, I failed as well as succeeded today.

Goal Before the Goal: 2:19

2:19.

This weekend, that's the target number; 2 hours, 19 minutes. I don't know at what point I decided that I was going to attempt a Boston qualifying time, but it was somewhere early on in my training. And maybe even sooner. But I do know that doing a race as part of my training was something I thought about, and when I saw the Just a Short Run advertised in Runner's World Magazine, I checked it out and it fit in with my training schedule.

This Sunday was supposed to be a 20 mile run as I build to my high of 22 miles next Sunday. But the 30k race this Saturday will not only break up the monotony of running alone, but it is an excellent opportunity to gauge where I am in terms of my ultimate goal. That day will be 5 weeks and 1 day before the Flying Pig and will give me either increased or decreased confidence.

I may have to ultimately wait until May 6 to determine whether I have travel plans to Boston next April, but Saturday will go a long way toward letting me know if I'm even in the ballpark. That's a bit of a scary thought, but I'm going to give it my best shot and come Saturday afternoon I'll have a better grip on my odds. Scary, but definitely an advantage that should help my mindset for the next five weeks. Stay tuned.....

Vince + Insanity = My Blog Name

I'm either stupid or just squeezing every last ounce out of life. I like to think it's the latter. Others might argue with me, but it's weekends like this that I will look back on as the character builder that helped propel me to a Boston qualifier; assuming I'm going to qualify.

Saturday night I referee three (3) hockey games in the annual Laurel Tournament in Greensburg. Me and three of my closest officiating friends not only ref four games in the tourney, we head out afterward for our annual end of season pizza and wings. Not to mention a few beers.

This is the final weekend of the season. I'm fortunate in that I'm selected to work the Class AAA Penguin Cup Final at Mellon Arena today (Sunday), but last night was the last night of hockey for our core Johnstown guys.

Unlike my crew, I had to wake and get my 18 mile run in before working my final game of the 06-07 season. We laugh on the way home that it's after midnight and when they wake to hit the bathroom, I'll be out getting my training in. I swear they think I'm an idiot, but I don't mind.

Although I plan on getting out by 8:00 a.m., the late night puts me behind a couple hours. On the road by 10:00 and it takes me 2 hours, 30 minutes to complete the trek. Now all that lies ahead is a drive to Pittsburgh and work my last game.

I depart Johnstown at 2:30 and arrive in plenty of time. My legs feel good, and because we're using a 4 man system, there isn't a ton of skating, but the unexpected usually happens when you don't want the unexpected.

Bethel Park leads North Allegheny 1-0, but NA ties the game with 1:33 remaining in the game and the tight defensive contest heads to overtime. It takes nearly two full overtimes to decide the game, but as I fight through some leg weariness I recall thinking, 'yes, I might be insane, but I am in perhaps the best shape of my life'.

Just a normal weekend in late winter / early spring for me. And another workout that I will vividly recall. Not to mention a great game. In case you're wondering; North Allegheny wins with 1:02 to play in the 2nd OT, ending Bethel Park's undefeated season. What a weekend. 6 weeks to go....

Running on the Dreadmill

I'm an outside runner. Oh sure, I'll run on the treadmill when it's too icy outside or if it's too snowy (it's gotta snow alot), or too cold (although I've been out in sub-zero temps. and not exactly sure where my threshold is there). But there is one inevitable situation that comes up from time to time that I simply cannot avoid. When the wife leaves early for training or other out of town work, I am responsible for our dogs.

What's the connection? Well, we've got very tempermental greyhounds that get weirded out when you change their routine, so instead of me heading out to leave them alone; and unfed, I choose to stay in the house until my normal departure time for work. That way, the routine stays somewhat close and we don't have our dogs too upset. I know; pathetic. But I've grown used to it. It doesn't happen that often, so a small price to pay for the animals I love so dearly (we don't have kids; so at least I've got that going for me).

Nevertheless, this morning was one of those days. And unfortunately for me, today was a 9 mile run. 9 miles on the treadmill. Days like today, I like to call it the Dreadmill! But when things seem bleak, and the time drags on and the little red lights aren't going around the mini track fast enough, there is a benefit to be had. Today was a mental day if I've ever had one. When you're out on the roads running double digit miles, I realized that the motivation to finish is to "get back home". But when you're already "home", what is the motivation? To watch the little red lights blink endlessly and watch the decimals of miles pass by ever so slowly.

In the end, I got through it. And dreaded every minute of it. But there is satisfaction in breaking through the mental wall that I will eventually hit on May 6 in Cincinnati. And when I get there, I'll remember March 22 and my dreaded dreadmill workout and how I fought the good fight. Somehow, I think I'll get through anything now.

Initial Entry

Seems everyone has a blog these days. So I decided to go for it, and start one of my own.

46 days to go until the Cincinnati Flying Pig. So a quick review of my training thus far, including memorable moments and how I got here.

I've done this twice. Last year I completed my first marathon in Cleveland (4 hours, 2 minutes, 2 seconds). Tough way to finish. But my goal was to finish. As I approached the final 5k I thought I had a shot at a sub-4:00, but it wasn't meant to be.

After going through the 16 weeks of training and running my first marathon, I slipped into a bit of a funk. I call it a kind of depression. Not 'I'm going to kill myself' depression. I think a sort of depression that comes from losing structure and inevitably some meaning. When it was over, there wasn't much to run for. At least not something as important as a first marathon.

So I waffled around and decided that getting ready for another marathon in 11 weeks was the challenge I was seeking. I "crammed" and ran Baltimore. On a perfect day, the planets aligned and I PR'ed with a 3:39:37.

All along, I had picked Cincinnati, but now I run for a new purpose....Boston. Can I do it? Who knows. But one thing is for sure. I'm going to give it my best shot. My training has been good thus far. Running two previous marathons showed me what works for me, so I fine-tuned my training plan by adding a week, tweaking some mileage and incorporating a "slow and low" week. That was last week. Perhaps that's why I decided to dive into blogging. I don't know. But here are the highs and lows of my training so far.....

Target Time for BQ: Sub 3:16

Training begins officially on January 9, 2007.
Week 1: 4 days, 21 miles....base building.

Week 2: 4 days, 22 miles...Temps were seasonably warm last week. Now it's back to reality. Wind chills dip to zero once. It couldn't get much worse, right? Wrong. More reality will follow.

Week 3: 4 days, 21.35 miles...First time ever incorporating actual speedwork. Four Yasso 800's produce a best of 3:19. Long way to go.

Week 4: 4 days, 20.1 miles.....Five Yasso's; down to a 3:11 best.

Week 5: Bitter cold. Battle a wind chill of -15. 4 days, 18.25 miles, still base building, and got my Yasso down to a best of 3:09.

Week 6: 4 days, 26 miles. Mileage going up, Yasso's going down. Bad week. I'll come back. One day with a -18 wind chill. Coldest I've ever run in.

Week 7: 4 days, 28.75 miles. Long run o4f 1o miles in an ice storm. Fun.

Week 8: 4 days, 31.75 miles. Yasso's becoming more consistent. Feeling like my VO2 is at an all time best. Really feeling good.

Week 9: 4 days, 26.25 miles. Yasso's down to an all time best 3:07. Feel like I might be getting sick.

Week 10: Did get sick. Down week anyway, coupled with a missed day and no speedwork. 3 days, 15 miles. Time to step it up. Three tough weeks ahead to a taper.

That brings me to today. The first day of spring. March 21, 2007. I started out week 11 with a good 5 miler. Maybe I felt guilty about last week; even though I think in the long run it will help. But I ran it in 38:17. A BQ time over that distance would be 37:25. I feel like I've got a shot. Rest of the week: 9 on Thursday, 8 Yasso's on Friday and an 18 miler on Sunday.

I also referee ice hockey all winter long and built in around these weeks is plenty of ice time. I believe that it is the ice skating that is a perfect complement to my training and helps. That is why I think I can get away without weekly mileage totals over 40. I do build to a high week of 41 in the next few weeks, but like I said earlier, I've worked at tweaking my plan to suit my needs and what I believe my body needs.

Thanks for reading. I hope to have more on a weekly basis.