MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2009

I am writing this because I know so well that when I publicly announce a goal (back myself into a corner?) I am more likely to achieve it. The problem is that this is tough one, so whatever advice you want to offer (besides don't go after it now) will be welcome.

When I made the decision in early August to drop racing Ironman Canada this year because my sore left achilles had precluded long run training since the Boston Marathon in April, I knew my Chicago Marathon race and a shot at a Boston qualifying time (which I need for next April since my 2007 BQ time no longer applies) were also in jeopardy.

But I have not shelved the idea of Chicago and a BQ time.

Since then I have run several 10-12 milers, two ~13 milers, a 16 miler and then I ran 20 yesterday. In yesterday's run most miles were around 8:45. I ran miles 3-17.5 with a pace group that got smaller and smaller as we went. The pace was supposed to be 9 minutes, but as often is the case on a really nice morning at the brink of marathon taper time the group was feeling its oats and pushed it a bit. I was a leading culprit in this. I had switched to the 9 minute group because in the two 8:45 group long runs I have done in my recent training I had been at the edge and had had to back it off before the distance was reached. This time 8:45 felt like a good pace.

My achilles as per usual was pretty sore until I warmed up and then was "there" limiting my speed but not precluding running long. The run started to slow after 17 as I got crampy. I walked a hill at 19 so I would not cramp and at 19.5 I had to stop and stretch out my quad so it would not seize up on me. I ran it in after than, but slowly. I wound up running the 20 in 3:10, which included a slow first mile warm-up. I was very sore and crampy afterwards and today I'm feeling it as well, including my achilles. But I'll survive and know I'll be ready to run again in a few days.

The race is in 20 days. I think I need to do another run around ~20 next weekend to build more leg stamina at distance, so am planning for a two-week taper.

My BQ time limit is 4:00:59. That is 9:11 per mile. 9s will get me 3:55:48. But I am a natural rabbit and I will fade. A plan that could work is to hit 20 miles in three hours (for example by averaging 8:45 pace 1-10 and 9:15 pace 11-20) and then run 9:45 pace thereafter. That would give me a time of 3:59:42, just a minute to use if the wheels start falling off.

So there, I've laid down a plan to use every bit of my fitness and the experience of 32 marathons and 11 Ironman races to eke out my Boston time and have said publicly I am going for it.

Whaddaya think?