OK... here it is. The dreaded marathon training journal. Wish me luck.

:gl:

Man that first post was inspiring! ;)

Man that first post was inspiring! ;)

Yep. I don't think he needs too much motivation. It's not his first marathon and he's the cardio king. :bow:

Yep. I don't think he needs too much motivation. It's not his first marathon and he's the cardio king. :bow:

Actually, it WILL be my first marathon. But heck, I'm only doing it for the chicks... chicks dig guys who can run marathons, right?

Thanks for your encouragement in my journal phillydude! I look forward to watching your marathon training progress...

And I shall speak for the chicks and say... yes, chicks DO dig guys who can run marathons! :tucool:

Thanks for your encouragement in my journal phillydude! I look forward to watching your marathon training progress...

And I shall speak for the chicks and say... yes, chicks DO dig guys who can run marathons! :tucool:

They tend to dig you from afar after the race. I shower helps move em in a little closer.

Mark

Actually, it WILL be my first marathon. But heck, I'm only doing it for the chicks... chicks dig guys who can run marathons, right?

Hmm I could've swore I saw you post pics and mention doing a marathon before? It must've been a half marathon or something?

No matter what I'm sure you'll do fine.

Hmm I could've swore I saw you post pics and mention doing a marathon before? It must've been a half marathon or something?

No matter what I'm sure you'll do fine.

It was the Philly half-marathon. GravityHomer did it too (he and his wife came down from Boston) but we didn't know about each other's participation until after the fact, so we didn't hook up. He smoked my time anyway, the whippersnapper.

Rockenmama is also doing the Philly marathon. We'll definitely hook up and will probably run part of the race together. We should get some JSF racewear... I have a t-shirt, but I prefer to run in something made from more technical fabric.

Actually, it WILL be my first marathon. But heck, I'm only doing it for the chicks... chicks dig guys who can run marathons, right?

I thought chicks dig the long ball?

Regardless, you ARE the cardio king and I know that whatever goal you set yourself to reach you will get there!!!!!

The Kenyans should be on watch....Phillydude is in the heezy

The Kenyans should be on watch....Phillydude is in the heezy

maybe I should adopt wh0areume's Kenyan diet (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=14316) program for this challenge...

maybe I should adopt wh0areume's Kenyan diet (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=14316) program for this challenge...
Isn't he currently trying to getter bigger than Ronnie Coleman? Perhaps it's that diet that put him in this state of mind.

It seems that Atkins and incredible amounts of high impact endurance training do not mix well.

Well... the marathon is seven weeks from today. I've FINALLY gotten around to "finalizing" a training schedule. Basically each week is a Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday and Sunday program, so here it is:

Week One (10/3): 2-4-2-9= 17
Week Two (10/10): 3-5-3-12= 23
Week Three (10/17): 4-6-4-10 + 2/15/3 duathlon= 29 (+15 bike)
Week Four (10/24): 5-7-5-18= 35
Week Five (10/31): 4-8-4-12= 28
Week Six (11/7): 3-6-3-6= 18
Week Seven (11/14): 2-4-2-26= 34

Comments, questions, and suggestions would be welcomed.

I would think given your capacity to run that you would be able to go 5 or 6 days a week, but you may be riding the bike too.

Was that a hal higdon preparation program?

I would think given your capacity to run that you would be able to go 5 or 6 days a week, but you may be riding the bike too.

Was that a hal higdon preparation program?

I probably COULD go 5-6 days a week... but I'm just not feeling it right now. I'm going to ease myself into this (notice that week one is VERY light) and take it as it goes. I want to enjoy doing this program, rather than feel like it's a job. Towards the end of the 1000//8 Challenge, I started to lose motivation because I saw the workouts as a "chore" and not something that I felt like I WANTED to do.

Along those lines, I'm only riding the bike when I feel like it. I got these pimp new wheels, so I'm taking it out to show them off once in a while, but I don't have any "scheduled" rides other than the last duathlon of the season.

I have looked at a number of the Higdon programs, but this is something I put together myself, modeled around his training theories as well as my personal schedule and commitments. I have a weekend where I will be out of town to take the ISSA CFT exam, so that's putting a wrench to the system. I'm also working dates around some races, since I really DO enjoy doing my longer training runs during organized events. Unfortunately, there's NOTHING I can find close to the 18 mile distance on that particular weekend...

Yeah nobody wants to race 18 or 20 miles when they could just run another hour or so and finish the big Kahuna.

Last night was productive, even if I didn't actually run a step.

I went through and calculated my predicted caloric needs for the next seven weeks of training, and then put together a basic meal plan which will insure that I am getting the proper nutrient mix (55c/35p/15f).

I've been eating like crap lately, and definitely not eating enough on most days, and it's been wearing me down. So I packed my little cooler with all kinds of good stuff this morning, and I'll be eating consistantly (and constantly) for the next few weeks...

Wow... I absolutely FLEW through my two mile run tonight... I didn't time it, but it felt like I was running about 7:30's. Amazing what a little break from the grind will do for your spirit and enthusiasm.

I ate what seemed like a ton of food today, but it was exactly on target for my BMR and actvity level. I also drank more than a gallon of water. So overall it was a pretty good day.

I am on the board of directors for the March of Dimes here in Pennsylvania, and I went to a dinner meeting last Friday night...

One of the people I met there told me about this guy who did a fundraiser similar to my 1000//8 Challenge...

here's the link to his journey:

http://www.runjoehalerun.com/

For those of you who just want the highlights:

Seven marathons in seven months on seven continents, $180,000 raised for the March of Dimes. Talk about commitment and cause!

Made me think I should set the bar higher for next year...

Ran my four miles tonight. Once again, didn't time the run. Felt like an 8:45 pace. Nice and steady, comfortable tempo, not bad at all.

Second day on the nutrition plan. Only one "glitch"... pizza day at the office. I had ONE slice, and bailed on my mid-day oatmeal and my post-run ice cream to make up for it.

I know, I know... ice cream? Well, when I put the plan together, I came to my last meal of the day, and needed to reach a certain number of calories and carbs with no fat... and sure enough, a cup of sugar free, fat free chocolate covered cherry ice cream met the profile exactly. And what the hell... if I'm eating super clean all day, I'm not going to feel bad about having a dish of ice cream if it fits into the plan.

I'm running a 15k race on Sunday morning. Should be fun. G'night.

What went right today: Around 1pm, I got a serious craving for some candy. I left the office, went to the convenience store, and spent a good fifteen minutes looking at the shelves. Ended up talking myself out of having any candy at all, and went back to the office. Good.

What went wrong today: Had a bunch of errands to do after work. Got home later than usual, so I didn't get to do my two mile run. Our plans for the weekend have been scotched, however, with the prediction of torrential rains. I'll get the two miles in tomorrow or Saturday... hoping the race on Sunday doesn't get cancelled... or worse, flooded out.

I just recently had that same experience with the candy. Except I bought a roll of sweet tarts, ate them all within 10 minutes, felt happy for 2 minutes, got a stomach ache that lasted 30 minutes then felt extremely sluglike for the rest of the afternoon (300 minutes).

I think that's my last roll of sweet tarts.

I just recently had that same experience with the candy. Except I bought a roll of sweet tarts, ate them all within 10 minutes, felt happy for 2 minutes, got a stomach ache that lasted 30 minutes then felt extremely sluglike for the rest of the afternoon (300 minutes).

I think that's my last roll of sweet tarts.

Of course, I'm sitting here reading your post with a package of "Super Sour Belts"... only 170 calories, but it's all sugar and citric acid, from what I can tell. I'm sure I'll be be OK.

Who's a rock star? That's me... that's me...

I picked up a copy of the fall issue of Liberty Sports Magazine today, and there, in the "Faces In The Races" section, is yours truly, sprinting to the finish line of the recent Lums Pond Duathlon. It's actually a really good picture of me in action, so I was thrilled to see it.

Unfortunately, the link to download a copy electronically from their website (www.libertysportsmag.com) is broken, or I would post it up here. I'll see if I can scan it in and get it up here in the next few days.

Delaware Distance Classic 15k, Wilmington DE
5K(1): 26:14
5K(2): 26:42
10K: 52:56
5K(3): 26:29
15K: 1:19:25
average pace: 8:30

Hi philly! :)

Looks like you're doing great so far with your marathon training. :claplow: You're such a stud. This chick digs stuff like hot fudge sundaes. :lol: Don't make me choose between being impressed with you completing a marathon and a hot fudge sundae. :D

I'm training for the Cooper River Bridge Run (10K) in April. I hate running. I'm starting now because it will take until the end of December for me to be able to run 3 straight miles. I suffer badly doing stuff I don't like to do. Why am I doing it? I promised my son I would. Pooters. :p Plus, it will be cool to run over the new bridge in the first run since it opened and there's also that cardiovascular fitness aspect and the thrill of crossing the finishline. Woohoo. :eek:

Who's a rock star? That's me... that's me...

I picked up a copy of the fall issue of Liberty Sports Magazine today, and there, in the "Faces In The Races" section, is yours truly, sprinting to the finish line of the recent Lums Pond Duathlon. It's actually a really good picture of me in action, so I was thrilled to see it.

Unfortunately, the link to download a copy electronically from their website (www.libertysportsmag.com) is broken, or I would post it up here. I'll see if I can scan it in and get it up here in the next few days.
nice. your 15 minutes starts now.......

You're such a stud. This chick digs stuff like hot fudge sundaes. :lol: Don't make me choose between being impressed with you completing a marathon and a hot fudge sundae. :D

How about this... after I finish the marathon, we'll go out for a hot fudge sundae? Good luck with your run... I've already started planning for NEXT year's race season.

p.s. to Nico... I've been wasting away my fifteen minutes for fifteen years now. One of these days I'm going to post ALL the pictures...

Haven't posted anything for a few days... because I haven't DONE anything for a few days. Missed my run on Tuesday (actually, I wouldn't say I MISSED it that much, Bob -- Office Space). Might miss my run tonight too... it's raining and it'll be dark by the time I get home. Rain I can handle. Dark I can handle. Rain AND dark might push me over the edge. Bah... as long as I do my long run this weekend (13 miles) I'll be fine. I'll be doing the Philadelphia AIDS Run (10k) which starts at 9am Sunday, immediately followed by running the Philadelphia AIDS Walk (12k) course, since the walk starts at 10am (after the run).

On the nutrition side, I've definitely fallen off the healthy apple cart and into the vat of sludge we call junk food. I've put on a few pounds... I can see it in my clothes, let alone stepping on the scale. It's really hard to eat clean when your schedule is out of whack, and my schedule has been out of whack for about a week now. So eating three square meals served on round buns has been my modus operandi.

So to sum it up: not doing my workouts, not eating well. All play and no work makes P-Diddy a fat boy. In the words of the Beastie Boys... something's got to give.

Haven't posted anything for a few days... because I haven't DONE anything for a few days. Missed my run on Tuesday (actually, I wouldn't say I MISSED it that much, Bob -- Office Space). Might miss my run tonight too... it's raining and it'll be dark by the time I get home. Rain I can handle. Dark I can handle. Rain AND dark might push me over the edge. Bah... as long as I do my long run this weekend (13 miles) I'll be fine. I'll be doing the Philadelphia AIDS Run (10k) which starts at 9am Sunday, immediately followed by running the Philadelphia AIDS Walk (12k) course, since the walk starts at 10am (after the run).

On the nutrition side, I've definitely fallen off the healthy apple cart and into the vat of sludge we call junk food. I've put on a few pounds... I can see it in my clothes, let alone stepping on the scale. It's really hard to eat clean when your schedule is out of whack, and my schedule has been out of whack for about a week now. So eating three square meals served on round buns has been my modus operandi.

So to sum it up: not doing my workouts, not eating well. All play and no work makes P-Diddy a fat boy. In the words of the Beastie Boys... something's got to give.

you deserve a break philly... i fell of the clean eating wagon back in july- still trying to catch the next one! i'm impressed with all your racing/biking/walking... etc... keep up the good work. can't wait 'til next year when i do marathon training....

you deserve a break philly... i fell of the clean eating wagon back in july- still trying to catch the next one! i'm impressed with all your racing/biking/walking... etc... keep up the good work. can't wait 'til next year when i do marathon training....

Thanks D... I'm actually going to go online tonight and register for the Philadelphia Marathon on November 20th, as well as the other races I have on the schedule for the rest of the year. Having spent a couple hundred dollars on entry fees will insure that I actually DO the events. It's close to the end of the season... and I've already started planning for my winter bulk (back to the weights! yay!) and spring training/cut. I'm hoping to "peak" by the first weekend in May for the Duathlon Nationals in Ohio.

My duathlon season is over. I was supposed to do one more race next weekend, but it was cancelled by the organizers. I sent the USAT a note asking them to update my rankings, and they said it would be done tomorrow... so I'll know exactly how I did this season.

I also paid my money for the marathon tonight... now all I have to do is finish it, and my running season will also be over for the year. After that, my next scheduled race isn't until January 1st. But I have lots to do yet... I'm only getting started towards a lifetime of fitness.

Ah...running. It feels so damn good when you get to stop.

Good luck with the marathon. Be sure to eat plenty over the Christmas holidays-you've earned it this year.

Philadelphia AIDS Run 10K, Philadelphia, PA
7:09 (new PR)
8:05
8:18
8:20
8:30
8:40
Finish: 50:47 (new PR)
Place: 29 out of 109, 22 out of 48 men
Pace: 8:08

Thanks to John Stone for the inspiration to set a new PR in the one mile and the overall 10K distance. (singing) "Did you ever know that you're my hero..."

Footnote: I didn't run the other 8 miles I was planning on running... for some reason, I was having a little "chafing" problem so I cut it short rather than letting things get to the point where it would cause real problems down the line I was wearing the same clothes I always wear to race in, so I'm not sure exactly what the issue was... I'll try some AstroGlide before next weekend's run and see if that helps.

How about this... after I finish the marathon, we'll go out for a hot fudge sundae? Good luck with your run... I've already started planning for NEXT year's race season.


Cool beans! I want at least 2 scoops! :eat:

Congrats on the run! Wow, I'm praying to do a 10 minute mile for my 10K in April. You'd breeze right by me. I'd have to trip you. :lol:

good job on your times philly. i haven't run fast than a ten-minute mile. i know i could run faster, but i like my pace. i know i could run more than 10 miles at this point, with no trouble- as long as i keep my pace, haha.

i have a 7.5 mile race this weekend. should be a lot of fun. I'm excited to do longer distances.

next year i'll be doing a marathon as well. can't wait to hear how your training goes.

d

Hi phillydude!
Thanks for the PEZ mp3 link, very cool!

Congratulations on the PR in your run!! :claplow:

I think I once saw you suggest the book Chi Running, which I looked up, and that way found an excellent swimming book called Total Immersion. I'm reading it now, and it's quite excellent! I also got Chi Running, but haven't read it yet. So... thanks for indirectly leading me to Total Immersion! :cool: I already started practicing a few of the techniques I read about.

Hi phillydude!
Thanks for the PEZ mp3 link, very cool!

Congratulations on the PR in your run!! :claplow:

I think I once saw you suggest the book Chi Running, which I looked up, and that way found an excellent swimming book called Total Immersion. I'm reading it now, and it's quite excellent! I also got Chi Running, but haven't read it yet. So... thanks for indirectly leading me to Total Immersion! :cool: I already started practicing a few of the techniques I read about.
Press the T.

BFer, it wasn't me who suggested the Chi Running book... it might have been Fels. But I also saw a recommendation for that book in another magazine this month, so I might put it on my holiday gift list.

Nico, I missed the reference for "Press the T"... was that a pez thing?

BFer, it wasn't me who suggested the Chi Running book... it might have been Fels. But I also saw a recommendation for that book in another magazine this month, so I might put it on my holiday gift list.

Nico, I missed the reference for "Press the T"... was that a pez thing?
It's a total immersion reference.

It's a total immersion reference.

I got confused too, but I knew what you meant-- apparently the guy's calling it "press the buoy" now! It seems to work pretty well, too.
Pushing down on the water with your chest, then your legs ride higher in the water.


I gotta thank Fels for the recommendation! :)

I got confused too, but I knew what you meant-- apparently the guy's calling it "press the buoy" now! It seems to work pretty well, too.
Pushing down on the water with your chest, then your legs ride higher in the water.


I gotta thank Fels for the recommendation! :)
I think the 't' refers to the T at the bottom of your lane. This image doesn't really apply to open water swimming. :p

Hey, look, it's a post from PhillyDude...

"Dear JSF Journal... All is fine here. I've gone running a few times this week, not too far and not too fast. I've been eating pretty much whatever and whenever I want, although I haven't wanted anything too terrible and haven't really eaten too often. So I guess I've reached that mythical state they call "maintenance." I'm still signed up for the marathon, but I'm not going to stress about it... I believe I can finish it, and I'm not obsessing about my times, so it is what it is. I'm doing a ten mile race this weekend... going to try and keep up a faster pace like I did last week and see what happens."

Hey, look, it's a post from PhillyDude...

"Dear JSF Journal... All is fine here. I've gone running a few times this week, not too far and not too fast. I've been eating pretty much whatever and whenever I want, although I haven't wanted anything too terrible and haven't really eaten too often. So I guess I've reached that mythical state they call "maintenance." I'm still signed up for the marathon, but I'm not going to stress about it... I believe I can finish it, and I'm not obsessing about my times, so it is what it is. I'm doing a ten mile race this weekend... going to try and keep up a faster pace like I did last week and see what happens."

Just wanted to pop in and say Hello!

Everything OK out there?:confused:

where you at bra?

do we need to send out the cavalry for you philly?

OK... it's another PhillyDude check-in report.

Philly Marathon is next weekend. I'm probably not ready, but I have convinced myself that I'm ready. So I'm ready, and I'm going to do it. And that's all I have to say.

I'm shooting to finish in 4:30, or in the top 5000, whichever comes first.

Coach, Nico, Fels... thanks for the shouts. Word up to my homies.

10 minute miles=4 hours 22 minutes

You can do that. Just run a mile at 8:30 and walk for a few minutes when you get tired. You can probably do that 15 times eh?

10 minute miles=4 hours 22 minutes

You can do that. Just run a mile at 8:30 and walk for a few minutes when you get tired. You can probably do that 15 times eh?

Actually, I have a more detailed plan to get there.

6 miles at 8:30 pace = 51 minutes
1 mile at 12 minute pace = 12 minutes
5 miles at 9:00 pace = 45 minutes
2 miles at 12 minute pace = 24 minutes
5 miles at 9:30 pace = 47.5 minutes
1 mile at 12 minute pace = 12 minutes
6 miles at 10:00 pace = 60 minutes

That works out to 4:19. Leaves me a little room for error to reach 4:30.

just did a search for your last journal entry. glad to see you're around philly. good luck on the marathon- you'll do awesome i'm sure!!!

Good luck on your marathon philly dude :tu: :tu: :tu: :tu:

Actually, I have a more detailed plan to get there.

6 miles at 8:30 pace = 51 minutes
1 mile at 12 minute pace = 12 minutes
5 miles at 9:00 pace = 45 minutes
2 miles at 12 minute pace = 24 minutes
5 miles at 9:30 pace = 47.5 minutes
1 mile at 12 minute pace = 12 minutes
6 miles at 10:00 pace = 60 minutes

That works out to 4:19. Leaves me a little room for error to reach 4:30.

I hope you plan on running those six miles at 8.3 pace+ at the end. Best strategy is to start out slow and and slowly build up and then really hammer it in the last six miles. They are the hardest and you'll be really tired if you start out too fast.

Right now, my normal pace for a 10K is around 8:00. So I'm definitely taking it easy. Plus, you always run a little faster in the first few miles because of all the excitement and the crowd. But thanks for the advice... believe me, I'll be running as fast as I can during the last few miles, just to get it done.

Well, the marathon is three days away... and while the temps were in the mid-70's yesterday, they are in the mid 40's today and are not going to get any warmer over the weekend. This will be a concern. I'm definitely going to get a pair of gloves I can throw away, and I will raid my running for some long sleeve shirt / long pants options I will be OK with losing should I need to shed layers mid-run. It's DEFINITELY going to be colder than I expected.

Looks like I'm going to get to meet Pam "Rockenmama" (aka "The Butt") this weekend. She and her husband are coming into town for the race, and we've got tentative plans for dinner the night before. Has anyone else seen posts from anyone else doing Philly this weekend?

Nope, I haven't. But I did want to stop by to say best of luck to you and rockenmama!! :) That's cool you two get to meet. It does sound like it's going to be pretty chilly, but I guess you know how to dress for that. It's cooler here in South Carolina today -- the high was around 58. It's about time.

Hope you do fantastic on your marathon!! :tucool:

OK... I can cross THAT off my list of things to do before I die...

I finished the Philadelphia Marathon yesterday in 4:53:42. That works out to a pace of around 11:09 per mile. but considering I stopped to pee at around mile #17, and stopped for a beer around mile #23, I'm figuring it was closer to an eleven minute mile for the overall distance.

My initial plan of running / walking (as detailed before) went by the wayside pretty much immediately when I clocked a 10:30 in the first mile... so I decided to just go for it and see how far I could run. I posted a couple of 9:30's during the first 10K, and turned the half-way point at 2:12. But as I mentioned, I finally stopped to use the portajohn between mile 17 and 18, and that broke my rhythm, I started to get a little tight in the legs, and from then on, it was "run a little, walk a little" for the rest of the race.

There were some people with a "unofficial" beer table at the entrance to the final stretch of road, about three miles from the finish, and at that point I knew I was going to indeed be able to finish, and would probably break five hours, so I figured "why the hell not" and had a nice cold Yuengling Lager to celebrate.

But anyway, it wasn't really a horrible experience, even though I didn't come anywhere close to my target time. It's something I wanted to do, I said I was going to do it, and I did it. So I've got that going for me...

I guess that closes out this journal... I'll start a new one in the next day or two, with a new program and new goals for 2006. Stay tuned...

Congratulations on finishing the marathon!!:claplow: :tucool: :jumping: :claplow:

And a Yuengling Lager to finish, sounds good!:D

i love that you stopped for a beer. you're a stud philly

Its amazing how good that beer tastes after 20 miles. At the Disney marathon, I had beer and M&Ms at 22 miles. That little pickme up got me throught the last couple of miles.

Mark

Nice going philly. Just finishing is something to be proud of given where you were a year and a half ago. (fat and unable to run even one mile)

Nice going philly. Just finishing is something to be proud of given where you were a year and a half ago. (fat and unable to run even one mile)

Thanks Nico (and everyone else who chimed in)... two things came into my mind about that today...

1) The Women's winner this year had NEVER completed a full marathon before. A former distance runner in college, she attempted NYC last year and DID NOT FINISH... and her furthest training run this year was 20 miles. She paced yesterday at 6:30 and beat several world-class athletes. But SHE DIDN'T FINISH HER FIRST ATTEMPT AT A MARATHON...

2) Pam (Rockenmama) said she passed a fallen runner at MILE 25 who was completely out cold... paramedics, ambulance, etc. This person COMPLETED 25 MILES AND DIDN'T FINISH...

So in retrospect, I guess the fact that I finished says something...

Great job philly dude!! Go yuengling! sounds good right about now.