Picking a Race Day Time Goal

Considering that runner(d)s can talk and write about our races, paces, work-outs and training plans ad nauseam, I'm surprised by the paucity of talk on choosing a goal race pace. Yes, there are all kinds of calculators one can use to predict half marathon or full marathon goal times (my favorite is McMillan) based on races at shorter distances, but I've never seen a calculator that helps you make a goal for shorter race distances or that helps you decide what your NEXT goal should be once you've reached your previous goal. For example, what is a reasonable new marathon goal after you've made that sub 4:15 marathon? Sub 4? 4:10?

Yes, common sense can dictate this to a great extent. For example, the slower runner you are, the more dramatic your initial gains will be. A first time marathoner who runs 4:50 can likely pull off 4:30 next time if they train long and hard enough whereas going from a 3:10 to a 3:00 is substantially more difficult. Since runners tend to like to calculate things TO DEATH, I'm suprised I haven't come across a calculator in which you input:

Best Marathon Time

Weeks you have to train until next marathon

Number of horus a week you will train

And in which pops out:

New Goal Marathon Time!

I doubt this would be super accurate, but it would be kinda fun, wouldn't it?

I started thinking about this today because I haven't yet decided on a race goal time for the Santa's Hustle 5K I'm running on December 4th. Maybe I don't need a goal time- maybe I should just run all out and see what the heck happens. But it may be nice to have a goal to help me kick it into even higher gear for the last 0.5 mile or so.

A good place to start would be a recent 5K race time. Hmmm, I have not raced a 5K as an adult, so that won't help. On the upside, this will be an instant PR!

How about using the McMillan calculator in reverse? Since I've committed to shooting for a 4:15 marathon next spring, I could shoot for what McMillan says should be my 5K race pace: 8:24 min/miles or a 26:06 5K.

Or, I could look at a pace race PR in which I felt I ran my best, see what the best 5K within that race was and try to beat it by some amount- maybe 10 s/mile or so? My best race ever was the Rockford 1/2 Marathon in May 2010. Unfortunately, I hadn't yet learned how to use the 'lap' feature on my Garmin at that time so don't have splits (bad Val!), but looking at my Garmin graph feature it looks like my best 3 (consecutive) miles (miles 4-7) were done in 8:40 min/miles.

What to do, what to do. To be honest, I'd be pretty happy if each mile starts w/ an 8 rather than a 9. I've never had a race with an average pace in the 8's. I think I'll make that my 'C' goal:

C goal: A-okay with me, but I know I can do better
27:54, 8:59 pace

B goal: I really should be able to do this if I work hard, and I'll be quite proud:
26:06, 8:24 pace

A goal: Only possible on my best day under ideal race conditions (does wearing a Santa hat and mustache qualify as 'ideal conditions'?)
25:39, 8:15 pace

A+ goal: This is my super secret goal that is pretty much unattainable. But I always have one of these in my head that I don't share with anyone, because, well, ya'll would probably laugh at me:)

3 days until race day!

1st Annual Bison Family Turkey Trot!

Got back Saturday from a WONDERFUL 3 days with my family in North Carolina. My Marine fighter pilot brother lives there with with wife, Jill and daughter, Gwyn. The entire weekend was just amazing! I'll post a separate post with pictures and highlights from the weekend. I thought the Turkey Trot deserved a post all its own:)

My family is, in general, in shape and athletic, some more so than others. My brother was the state champion in pole vaulting years ago, my Dad was a competitive triathlete and still is a competitive skier. My mom golfs and is an excellent tennis player. Adam used to be a very good soccer player, years ago. And I...well, I have zero athletic prowess but am working on getting better at running!

That said, however, other than golf and the occasional paddle down the river, we infrequently have the chance to be active together. So when my sister-in-law mentioned she was talking about a Turkey Trot I was SO EXCITED because I had already had secret plans to convince everyone to do a family Turkey Trot as (what else) the bison family!

Some of you may have worried, wondering if we had enough bison gear for all of us to dress up properly. No need to worry- we had plenty. Here are various family members showing off their costumes:

Gunner Girl

Yours truly.

Garrett, Jill, Gwyn

I'm happy to report that all 7 of us completed the turkey trot and I think at least 5 of us enjoyed it:) We ended up covering 2.6 miles. I think next year we'll try for an organized race- I know we will all be ready for the full 3.1 next year!














Here are some more pictures of the herd on the move:

Only 362 days until the 2nd Annual Bison Family Turkey Trot! Get ready!

Thanksgiving Week Work-out Wrap-up

Yummy! Me with my Mom, Brother Garrett and Niece Gunner!

Thanksgiving week was good to me. While I ate a lot (and drank a lot), I was much more "in control" than in previous years and don't feel guilty about the whole thing at all. Did I keep track of my calories while out of town? No. But no biggie. I ate because I was hungry and don't feel like I overate. So while I didn't watch myself like a hawk, I also didn't have seconds and only had dessert once. And I worked out 4 times. It's all good.

Miles run (completed/planned): 36/47
Long run: 1/1
Speed work sessions: 2/3 Speed work completed at goal time: 2/2
Biking miles: 10/15
Weights: 1/2

Good things:

--AWESOME 18 miler today. I felt strong. Running felt easy. This is the latest into "post Fall marathon season" that I have kept up with long runs. Guess I have no choice but to keep at it with the Maui Oceanfront Marathon coming up in January!


Areas for Improvement:
--I just can't seem to get in my weight work-outs. They are boring. But I will keep plugging away on it this week!
--Eating was better. I felt more in control. But I need to really shoot for my 1200 calorie days this week.

Next week's schedule:

Monday: weights, 3 mile recovery run

Tuesday: 10 mile tempo
Wednesday: 4 miles w/ 8 hill repeats, weights
Thursday: 5 miles w/ 5K @ 10K pace, weights
Friday: weights, 10 mile bike
Saturday: Santa's Hustle 5K, goal pace tbd
Sunday: relaxed 20 miler

Ok, people. I was DREADING my run today in 22 degree weather but it was a-okay after about 3 minutes. Don't let the cold scare you! I'll keep you posted when I find my "too cold to run outside" threshold! GET OUT THERE AND RUN!!!

Get a Hold of Yourself, Val!

I started this post by looking back on my google calendar, trying to remember the last time I was consistently eating nutritionally and sparingly. Ummm....it's been a while. I was doing pretty well for a few weeks before our New England vacation. I wasn't doing great, but since I was working out so much I was getting in better shape. Then vacation was a blur of butter and seafood. Oh, and wine.

Now, I'm just flat out out of control. Eating what I want, when I want with absolutely no regards to health, nutrition or amount. For weeks I've been saying in my head " This stops now." Well, guess what? It hasn't stopped. Tonight, I had dessert twice. Twice! What the heck is going on!! And, I spilled hot chocolate on my hand while making dessert #2! Really, Val? You want dessert (#2!) so badly you burn yourself for it?

By announcing "This stops now" on here, I think I'll listen to myself. I'll hold myself accountable. Maybe not even for myself, but for all the other folks out there who need motivation to get back in shape themselves. And I'll feel like a fool going for '2nd breakfast' if my co-workers are around!

So, what's my game plan?

First, I need to admit that from a baseline of "old lady" schedule, my schedule has become even more geriatric. I'm totally okay with this. My atypical schedule, however, requires me to have an atypical eating schedule. I need to focus on my body's needs instead of society's generally accepted eating times. For me, this means eating breakfast at 4:30 or 5 am before my morning workout. Then, I'll eat again when I'm hungry-either mid-morning or lunch- but I won't eat the food at work (see below). Instead, I'll eat my healthy choices that I bring to work. Then I can have a snack in the afternoon if I'm stuck late at work or a super early dinner somewhere b/t 3-5 pm before my evening work-out. Then bed at 8 or 8:30. Yes, I know how crazy this sounds. But I think it will work for me. That's all that really matters.

Things I need to keep in mind:

--Fruits, veggies, and protein. These should be my eating priorities. If these are available (and I should always keep some in my purse!), this is what I should eat.
--No eating the food provided by work. The food isn't bad. It's actually decent. But the temptation to eat too much or just have the unhealthy options instead of the salad is just too great. My exception will be pizza day because I LOVE PIZZA! (Even bad Pompeii pizza is oh-so-good!)
--Minimize drinks w/ calories. This means lattes and wine. Don't eliminate (that's crazy talk!), but minimize.
--1200 calories is the goal. If I go over, it's okay as long as I work off the excess. Calories in minus calories burned off should = a negative number or zero. In reality, I'm fine with this averaging out over the week- some days I'll eat more than I burn, others I'll eat less.
--No dessert. I don't even really like dessert. This should be a no-brainer.
--Keep in mind the words of a wise colleague of mine- "It's okay to go to bed hungry". It really is. Our brains are bigger than our stomachs. We feel hungry even when we are not. And since I always have breakfast before my morning work-out, I don't need to worry about running out of calories during the AM workout. (Exception= pre-long run or pre-race nights. Then, I need the fuel.)
--Did I say FRUIT, VEGGIES, PROTEIN??

I considered whether to post this. Despite the fact that I only have 14 "official" followers of this blog there are actually a significant number of work friends who read this from time to time and this definitely borders on (okay, probably definitely is) TMI (too much info, for the over 50 set). But you know what? I decided to post for 2 reasons:

1. I am in a line of work where we constantly preach (or at least should be preaching) "lifestyle changes" to our patients. Thus, it's a good idea to consider the challenges ALL of us (and ESPECIALLY our patients) face when it comes to eating properly. It's important to acknowledge that for some, it can be hard, and for most, it must be intentional.

2. When people hear that I am on a "diet" (I prefer "trying to eat healthfully and sparingly"), they say "Why? You're so thin!" Well, let me tell you that with a few genetically freakish exceptions (yes, I'm jealous), most of us suffer from metabolism slowing at some point in life. For me it started around age 27. For others, it may not be until age 50. But for most, it will happen. The only reason I'm still thin is because I work out. At this point, I am thin because I choose to be thin. I work at it. Most thin people do. So can you, our friends and family, and our patients. And for the record, yes, I'm well aware that I'm in 'decent' shape. But I'm not in the shape I want to be in- I need more lean body mass and less fat. I'm NOT trying to lose weight- just fat. That's as important to me as "dropping that extra 10 lbs is for other people". So don't judge!

Okay, that's enough and probably way more than you wanted to know! But I feel more in control already. Time to pack for T-giving, get to bed early and get up early for my 10 mile run before clinic.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Maybe I'll see you at the airport;)

Yasso's 800s

For non-runners or beginning runners, a word of explanation. Yasso 800s are a specific work-out popularized by Bart Yasso. It's not only a great speed workout, but is also thought to be a good predictor for marathon finishing time. Specifically, it is thought that if a runner can complete ten 800 m (1/2 mile) intervals in the same minutes and seconds it will take them to complete the marathon in hours and minutes, they are on target for their race day goal time.

Say what? I know that last sentence was confusing. Let me give you an example. My goal marathon time is 4:15 (4 hrs, 15 minutes). So my goal for my Yasso 800s would be to complete 800m in 4 minutes and 15 seconds (ie 8:30 min/mile pace). Pretty cool, huh? (Obviously, this is in the context of a robust marathon training plan w/ appropriate long runs, etc.) I've seen various "recovery times/distances" b/t intervals. On the mill I do ~2-3 minutes recovery, but may change this to a 400 meter recovery (which is just about the same timing since my recovery pace will be 10:00min/mile).

I'm trying to incorporate a lot of what I'm learning in Matt Fitzgerald's book '"Run: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel" and one of the things he emphasizes is repetition of key work-outs so that you can monitor your improvement. I'm going to use Yasso 800s as one of these key work-outs and plan to do them once every 2 weeks.

So, how did it go today? Here's what I did:


1 mile w/u (9:23)


800 x 4 at 8:20 pace (which would be predictive of a 4:10 marathon finishing time)


That seemed too easy so next I did:

800 x 1 at 8:13 pace


Still too easy so I ran:

One whole mile at 8:13! Yippee!


Then:

last 800 at 8:07 pace



1 mile c/d at 9:23


Some random thoughts:

--It's gratifying to see how much I've improved. I ran an 8:13 mile barely out of breath! I remember a few years back I ran 1 mile all out to see what would happen and I was so out of breath, I couldn't possibly have run any longer or faster than I did and I produced an 8:15 mile. Today I did 8:13 comfortably! Improvement!

--I hate to say it, but I need to start jogging instead of speed walking for my recovery time b/t intervals. I now have running speeds at which I'm not all all short of breath. Bummer, because walking always seems easier than running!

--I need to keep the treadmill at 0.5 incline, otherwise it's going to be a rude awakening when I go back to doing speed work outside next spring!

--I'm thinking ahead to my next marathon training plan (to start in 2/11), wondering whose plan to use. I'm going to look into the FIRST plan I hear so much about. I'd like to seriously consider the Galloway run/walk method because I really do benefit mentally from walk breaks but I just don't know. I think it's a great idea for those it works for but I think I might feel like less of a runner. I don't think people who run/walk are lesser runners AT ALL but I might judge myself differently. I run marathons, saying I run/walk marathons doesn't have the same ring to it.

Okay, I must be off to bed. Another 4:30 am wake-up call tomorrow to get a work-out in before work....

1st Annual Bison Family Turkey Trot

Only 5 days until

annual

BISON FAMILY

5K!!

So instead of running as a

LONE BISON,

I will be running in a

HERD

with the

BISON FAMILY!

I CAN'T WAIT!

Weekly Workout Wrap-up

Well, I didn't do so hot this week:

Miles run (completed/planned): 24/38
Long run: 1/1
Speed work sessions: 2/3 Speed work completed at goal time: 2/2
Biking sessions: 1/3
Weights: 2/3

In terms of calories, the wheels feel off the bus. I didn't even keep track every day. Need to re-dedicate myself to this diet business.

I'm not in the mood to give commentary on the whole thing, so let's just look ahead to next week.

Today: Still hoping to get in 10 miles running
Sunday: 18 miles, relaxed
Monday: 3 miles easy (if not sore), 5 miles bike, 30 min weights
Tuesday: Yasso 800s (7.2), 10 miles bike, 30 min weights
Wednesday: 10 miles w/ 5 @ 15 K pace
Thursday: 1st Annual Bison Family Turkey Trot 5K!!
Friday: 10 miles tempo (st 1:20 slower than MP, q 2 miles inc speed by 20 s/mile)
Saturday: rest day