And now, I am at that point. I have done several ironman races. I have run several marathons. I have run a bunch of 20 milers. I can now go and run a 20 miler without too much stress. I actually stress less about the run now and more about how I am going to fit it in without interrupting my family weekend.
After a long layoff from the long run, I am happy to say that I was fine. I did my normal aerobic long run, which is where I wear my HR monitor, stay true to Z2/MAF running, and just complete the distance without concern for pace. I think this is a nice approach in a build up to a marathon. Sure, there is a time and a place for marathon miles, fast finish long runs, etc. But, when you are doing your first 20 miler in a long time, just go run it easy. (because 20 miles is not really easy on the body, so why double the stress? Just let time on your feet be the only stressor for that day).
What is funny to me is how I had friends that wanted to know what my pace was for my 20 miler, thinking it was indicative of my upcoming marathon pace. Um, I don't operate like that. My training, at the end of my marathon training cycle, will dictate my marathon pace. It will be where it is. I don't force some arbitrary pace onto my long runs without reason or prior training to suggest that I should be holding xyz pace. I have found that this philosophy is just foreign to people that like to run fast/short and/or very numbers oriented. But really, if I start off yapping and warming up at a 9:45 pace, but then run 8:15s at the end, and my average is 9 min pace, was that really my long run average pace? Does it matter? I mean, I just don't even look at average pace or tie it into my training, except simply to say that I don't run the entirety of my long runs at my hopeful marathon pace. That doesn't make sense. Elites don't do it. Why do age groupers?
So, 7 more weeks to go. I am feeling "meh" about my training for Boston. It is not bad, but it is not special. I have done zero speedwork and zero tempo runs. I just don't feel like I am crossing all of the Ts on this preparation, but you know, I asked for a different view and a different plan, and I am going to stick with it. This weekend is a half marathon. And, as usual, I will get to the line having ZERO clue what pace I should try to hold. Since I haven't run a single mile under 8 minute pace since October, I guess I shouldn't really have any expectations short of just getting out there and dealing with the lactate in my blood and calling it a good training day.
And growing pains. This is all part of the growing pains that come when you start over with a new plan. I don't want to start over. I shouldn't start over. I have been doing this for a long time. I just ran a marathon 6 months ago. But, you know, when you ask for something new, you are also asking to clean the slate and start over. That sometimes means you take steps backwards, for seemingly no reason. But, it also means that you are fully committing to something new and good, and hoping that the return on the end is worth the payout on the front.
The view from the top!
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