Running for Time vs. Running for Mileage

I guess I am going to start by saying that while training has officially (and belatedly) kicked off for the 7 Bridges Marathon I REALLY need to get my a** in gear. This would mark week #3 in a 14 week plan and while generally things have gone according to "plan", that "plan" really only exists in my mind (also why it's not a traditional 18 week plan). I keep going back to last years training plan and making sure I am generally "where I should be" mileage and workout-wise but I am the type who loves to analyze/mix and match various training plans, create detailed logs of planned/actual, so this "wing it" mentality is not sitting well with me.

I know, I know, Melissa...just sit down with Excel and prior training notes (and the 3 books on marathon training that you checked out from the library 2+ weeks ago) and DO IT already. For some reason, I'm just finding myself zapped when I get home and not wanting to focus on this. I'm not sure if it's a motivation issue or the heat, or what though I suspect it's the latter feeding a bunch of negative thoughts. I'm not having any problems getting out there and getting my workouts done but I am feeling SO UNinspired by my pacing right now. The heat and humidity (which I should be used to, right?) just seem to be sucking the life out of me and I feel like any progress I had previously made on my already slow (to me) pace has been reversed. I'm sure if I could manage to get my weight under control (read: lose the 15 pounds that I have been talking about for a year now) it would certainly help, but I'm pretty much nailing my treadmill work/"speed" and have been more consistently active during the off season that prior years (with both running and cross training) so I know I'm not totally out of shape. I probably just need to not pay super close attention to pacing right now but it's really hard when you feel like you're the only one suffering.

That being said, the point of this is to discuss a potential long run strategy  that gets me more focused on time on my feet and less on true mileage at least during the excruciatingly hot and humid month of August...and that is to run my long run based on "time" versus distance. It's something I did a bit of last fall when I was trying to juggle road trips to Auburn/early kick off times/return trips to Bham on Sundays which often left me time crunched. Sometimes my plan would call for 13+ but I would really only have time for "2 hours" (I don't run a sub-2 HM, closer to 2:20 when all things are firing) so I would get out there and run for an hour one way and then turn around and run back. Sounds pretty simple though purists might argue that I am selling myself and my training short. However, I managed to run nearly 30 minutes faster than my 1st marathon (though it would have been harder to be much slower!) so doing "something" rather than beating myself up for a variety of other reasons was probably better than setting myself up for failure, which is kind of how I'm feeling right now.

I don't think I want to build a plan with only time-focused LRs though...I think for me it's key to hit a 13.1, 15, 18 and 20, at least mentally, knowing that I have covered the full distance before. Does anyone reading have any additional experience with running on a time-focused plan? My M-F workouts ARE distance based, just for the record. (And yes, I ran 90 minutes for my LR on week #1 and 1hr 50 mins last week...the plan was 2 but I was back at my car...woo hoo massive negative split!...and I was just spent)

I am challenging myself to get my training plan up and "out there" (here) this week. I know training logs are not the most interesting read, BUT they are one of the things that people have searched and spend time looking at so if my training for "xyz" marathon can be of help to someone down the road then I am happy to at least put the info out there!

Happy 4th of July from the "other" side of Peavine Falls

Happy 4th of July! I hope everyone (in or from the U.S.) has had a wonderful day celebrating in whatever way you see fit!

It's been a pretty chill day here so far, though I did start the morning bright and early volunteering for the 31st  annual Peavine Falls Race I would say the race is pretty well known throughout the Birmingham running community though I have never actually run it as (I won't lie) the elevation gain combined with Alabama heat/humidity on July 4 (for 8+ miles) scares me just a bit.

Yes, that's the course elevation

The race director (Rick) and I frequent the same Starbucks and he has encouraged me to come out and run it  on more than one occasion (ahh, the benefits of sporting the 26.2 car magnet) so when I saw the Birmingham Track Club put out a call for volunteers, I didn't hesitate since I knew we didn't have any specific plans today. (Side note: why is it so easy to be up at 5:15 to volunteer for a race, but getting up at 5:15 for work seems like torture?!?!)

I got to Oak Mtn around 6:10 where there was already a huge line to get in but made it to the race area no problem. I wasn't exactly sure *what* I would be doing today but no matter. Well, I got assigned (to me), a really cool job...I got to enter everyone in the timing system and then run the finish line timing with Rick :)

Pre-race...499 registered participants

I looked so official for a while...but had to take this off after the bees started swarming all over the shirt and computer...yuck!

There is no mat timing on this course, they tear off the bib stubs once you get into the finishing chute, but Rick and I were the people synching each finisher with the clock. We used the select timing method (you can read about it in the link) and I have to say I had a LOT of fun watching all of the finish line action and even learning about timing. I loved watching the super competitive sprints to the finish, watching people get "chicked" (woo hoo!), and watching the last minutes 'passing' right before the chute.


And toward the end of the race, I got to meet L. from Yo Momma Runs--congrats on placing in the top 10 females! (I hope I did not freak you out with my weirdness!)


Anyway, all in all a great way to spend the morning. Matt and I enjoyed some coffee and lazing around watching re-runs (but new to us!) of the Olympic Track and Field qualifiers and I met up with a relatively new running friend at 4:00 (brilliance, I tell you) at Jemison to run an efficient progression run with a couple of sprints thrown in for good measure. I was having a really strong day today and wish all runs could feel that great.


Now I'm drinking a glass of this (so good!):

and snuggling with Roxy

and waiting for Matt to get home from playing golf to see how the rest of the evening shapes up!