I have completed four marathons in the past couple years. Since I have another big event in my life (my wedding) to plan for this November, I decided not to train for a fall marathon. Instead I decided that a more attainable goal would be run a half marathon time under 2 hours (my current PR for the half is 2:01:31).
Anyway, here's my marathon times:
10/1/2006: Maine Marathon (Portland, ME): 4:58:11 (11:23 min/mile)
4/28/2007: Country Music Marathon (Nashville, TN): 5:14:03 (11:59 min/mile)
11/4/2007: Manchester Marathon (Manchester, NH): 4:45:48 (10:55 min/mile)
5/4/2008: New Jersey Marathon (Long Branch, NJ): 4:34:48 (10:37 min/mile)
To qualify for Boston, I would need a run a marathon in 3:45 (a pace of 8:35min/mile). I have a way to go. As you can see, with the exception of Country Music (where I was running on sprained ankle - not smart), I have continually improved my times by 10+ minute increments. I just have to keep chipping away at it.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Poor Deena...
I watched the women's Olympic race on Sat. night only to be disappointed that Deena Kastor was out of the race with an injured foot at 5k mark. Click here for the complete story.
On the upside, the winner, Constantina Tomescu Dita from Romania is 38 years old, the oldest ever to win the marathon at the Olympics.
So, there is still hope that Deena will make a comeback in the 2012 Olympics. Heck, she's the same age as me (34 years young), maybe I can make it too :-)
On the upside, the winner, Constantina Tomescu Dita from Romania is 38 years old, the oldest ever to win the marathon at the Olympics.
So, there is still hope that Deena will make a comeback in the 2012 Olympics. Heck, she's the same age as me (34 years young), maybe I can make it too :-)
Monday, August 18, 2008
Heart Rate Monitor
I am starting a new tactic in my training which is part of the reason for this blog. In the past few years, I have been continually improving, setting new PR's in different categories of races but I wanted to take my training to the next level. My far reaching goal is to actually qualify for the Boston Marathon.
My chiropractor advised that I start using a heart rate monitor and loaned me a couple of books on how to actually use one (as opposed to just wearing a chest strap under my boobs for the fun of it). One of the books, Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot by John L. Parker, Jr. is now my bible.
The whole concept behind using a heart rate monitor in training is to truly measure your aerobic effort so that you run your easy days easy and hard days hard. The problem with trying to do this unaided is that most people simply do not know how much they need to slow down on their easy days and end up working harder on those days. When the true hard day comes, they already hit the "wall" sort of speak. In any case, the book explains a lot better than I am doing right now.
This is my fourth week into it. I have to say it's harder to do the easy days simply because I have to sometimes stop and walk to bring my heart rate down to below 70% of my max. heart rate. It's very frustrating to not even make a 10 min/mile pace on those days. But I am determined to stick with it and hope to see the results.
My chiropractor advised that I start using a heart rate monitor and loaned me a couple of books on how to actually use one (as opposed to just wearing a chest strap under my boobs for the fun of it). One of the books, Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot by John L. Parker, Jr. is now my bible.
The whole concept behind using a heart rate monitor in training is to truly measure your aerobic effort so that you run your easy days easy and hard days hard. The problem with trying to do this unaided is that most people simply do not know how much they need to slow down on their easy days and end up working harder on those days. When the true hard day comes, they already hit the "wall" sort of speak. In any case, the book explains a lot better than I am doing right now.
This is my fourth week into it. I have to say it's harder to do the easy days simply because I have to sometimes stop and walk to bring my heart rate down to below 70% of my max. heart rate. It's very frustrating to not even make a 10 min/mile pace on those days. But I am determined to stick with it and hope to see the results.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Top of the Bell Curve Explained
The idea of this blog actually came from my chiropractor, who also happens to be a former coach for Team in Training triathlon events. I was mentioning how I was out of a job at the moment and I was joking how I now can seriously train and get corporate sponsorship (yeah, I don't think Nike will be beating down my door for me to sign a contract). He then said I should put a blog up about how my training to get to the top of the bell curve on my next race. My goal is not to be at the top but to be dead center of the pack that they can't even announce my name or take my picture since so many other folks are running through the finish line at the same time. It's all about attainable goals.
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