Louisville Derby Marathon, 3:01:00

Louisville Derby Marathon, April 24 2010

Clock time -- 3:01:03
Chip time -- 3:01:00
10K split -- 39:03
15K split -- 58:49
25K split -- 1:39:27
30K split -- 1:59:53
Overall -- 18
Gender -- 16/889
Division -- 7/116

Considering, I was pleased with my Louisville Derby Marathon in 2010. Leading up to the race I had the goal of under 3 hours and possibly a new PR of faster than 2:58. I felt in decent shape but had not done the necessary long runs and therefore was not properly prepared for the 26.2-mile distance. My only long runs were part of the 24-hour race and a 21-miler at General Butler State Park. I was nervous for past 20 miles, and for good reason.

The morning of the race, I woke up at around 4:45 a.m. and stretched out. I ate a granola bar and a banana while drinking plenty of water. I arrived at the start line at around 7 am. with the race starting at 7:30. I jogged about four minutes, did some easy stretching and ran one short strider. I felt fine waiting for the start.

I started towards the front of the field and felt good at the beginning. I went past the mile marker in 6:23 (right on my desired start pace of 6:20-6:30). I started to run in the 6:15-range, despite the early hills, and had a few miles around 6-flat. I came through the first 10K in 39:03 with my first mile slower then 6:30 being the mile through Churchill Downs at around seven. My pace felt fine at the time but I knew I was in trouble because of the fast early start.

I came through halfway in around 1:24:00, about three minutes faster than my goal time of 1:27:00. In the second set of hills at around 15 miles, I went through my first drought of the race, struggling on the up and down hills. The long downhill coming out of the park was really tough on me.

I started to feel a little better when I got back on the flats, but going over the bridge into Indiana was another tough stretch for me. I took gel packs at mile 15 and mile 23 (I dropped one going through the tunnel into Churchill Downs so only had two to take). The final few miles were really rough on me. My target splits were the 3-mile splits, wanting to keep them all under 20 minutes. I was on pace for each one except for at 24 miles. After turning left over the bridge back into Kentucky, the marathon runners and half runners converged into one group for the rest of the race, about 1.2 miles. This was particularly tough since I was running with the walkers in the half, zig-zaggin in and out. I had to jump on the sidewalk once to get around a group of walkers and could not run a straight line to the finish. My hamstring really started to tighten in the final mile and I was forced to stop and hobble most of the rest of the way in due to the cramps. My last 1.2 miles were slower than 10 minutes, which costed me a chance at under 3 hours and a possible PR. I did not enjoy the final 1.2 miles while running with the half walkers, and felt like that made a big difference in the cramps.

Considering my lack of long runs and too fast of an early start, I was still happy with a 3:01:00 on what I consider a very tough course. I know with proper training and better pacing, I can run much faster. Now it's time to get ready for the Louisville Ironman in August, and then I'll pick another marathon to go after a fast time. I have a lot of changes to make for my next one. It's changes I look forward to!

Week of April 19-April 25

Monday -- 6 miles steady
Tuesday -- 2 miles with plenty of stretching
Wednesday -- 5K at 19:15 on track = 5 miles
Thursday -- Off
Friday -- Off
Saturday -- Marathon = 27 miles
Sunday -- Off
Total -- 40 miles

Took it easy in week leading up to the race, backing down to feel fresh for Saturday morning. MOnday was six miles at around 7-minute miles at the new park in New Castle; Tuesday was easy jogging with plenty of stretching; and Wednesday was a 5K run with the track team on the track in 19:15. I took Thursday and Friday off. Felt good on race day.

Week of April 12-18

Monday -- track workout of 1600 (5:15), 1200 (3:57), 800 (2:30), 400 (1:10) = 5 miles
Tuesday -- 6 miles steady
Wednesday -- Track, 3 miles in 19:00, 2 miles in 12:10 = 7 miles
Thursday -- 4 miles easy
Friday -- 30 minutes steady on treadmill = 4 miles
Saturday -- Off
Sunday -- Off
Total -- 26 miles

Week of April 5-11

Monday -- Track workout 1600, 3 x 800-400 (5:21, 2:33, 69, 2:34, 67, 2:35, 69) = 6 miles
Tuesday -- 9 miles steady
Wednesday -- Track workout 5x200, 3 x 200-100, 5x100, 300 = 6 miles
Thursday -- Off (back hurting so took off for precautionary reasons)
Friday -- 21 miles at General Butler State Park, 20 on the trails and 1 mile hard on the road, closing in 5:27 on measured course
Saturday -- 2 miles easy
Sunday -- Off
Total -- 44 miles

Not wanting to jump my mileage in the few weeks leading up to the race, the total was low but got in some quality work. Monday's track workout was with the Henry County distance runners, Wednesday's track workout was with the Henry County sprinters, and Friday's long run was partially (60 minutes) with Travis Farmer at General Butler State Park. The 21-mile long run was a great run as I slowly increased the pace as the run progressed on the up-and-down trails. Felt good. Closed with a final mile, measured on the roads, in 5:27. Pushed really hard to the finish. Overall, week was what I needed. Still a little nervous though with limited long runs. Not sure how 6:30-6:50 miles will feel past the 20-mile point.

Week of March 29-April 4

Monday -- 20-minute progression into tempo run, 10x20-second hill sprints, cool down = 8 miles
Tuesday -- 9 miles steady
Wednesday -- (treadmill) 15 minutes steady, 3xmile at 5:59 each = 6 miles
Thursday -- 6 miles steady
Friday -- 1 mile easy
Saturday -- Papa John's 10-Mile Race (1:01:37)
Sunday -- Off
Total -- 42 miles

Mileage still low but it was a decent week of training and ran well in the Papa John's 10-Miler. Monday started with a 20-minute progression run and finished with hill sprints; Tuesday was a steady run on the roads at around 7-minute miles or under; Wednesday was mile repeats on the treadmill but legs really tired so just did three; Thursday was another steady run; Friday was an easy mile with the high school runners; and Saturday was the race.

Papa John's 10-Miler breakdown -- I started out slower than normal in this year's Papa John's 10-Miler, feeling really-really relaxed through the first mile in 6:07. I stayed relaxed through the first 3.5 miles, then the course got hilly through six miles with plenty of ups and downs. I passed two miles in 12:20 and three miles in 18:37. The halfway point was reached in 31:22 (6:16-average), which gave me a second half of 30:15 (6:03-average). I finished off with the last three miles at sub-6 miles and felt strong all the way to the finish line although I obviously started to tire. My final time of 61:37 was an average mile of 6:09. I think, after a few more weeks of training, that 6:30-6:40 miles should be my target pace for the marathon. That'll bring me through 10 miles in around 1:05-1:07, a pace that should be manageable. Though it wasn't super fast and I didn't push 100-percent, I was still pleased with the Papa John's 10-Miler. It should be beneficial to me. Now, I'm in desperate need of a hard long run this week.

Week of March 22-28

Monday -- track workout 4x500, 1200, 800, 400, 10x150, 300 = 8 miles
Tuesday -- 4 miles
Wednesday -- 2 miles
Thursday -- 8 miles / 5 miles = 13 miles
Friday -- track workout 5K (18:57), 4K (15:27), 3K (11:24), 2K (7:30), 1K (3:41) = 12 miles
Saturday -- 2 miles
Sunday -- Off
Total -- 41 miles

Starting to feel a little better, shape-wise, my mileage was still down this week but I got in two solid track workouts. The first one, on Monday, I ran with the high school runners. After a warm up, I ran 4x500 with the first 400 at a cruise speed (around 73 seconds per 400) and the final 100 all out. Took a short break, then ran 1200 meters, 800 meters and 400 meters. Took another break, and then ran 10x150 at close to all out and 300 meters close to all out. Finished with a cool down. Tough workout since I'm not used to that much speed. Then, on Friday, my next track workout was by myself on the track and included kilometer cut downs. It was a very-very-very windy day so I decided against my pre-workout plan of running 1:30-second laps all the way through. Altering my pace, I ran the 5K in 18:57, the 4K in 15:27, the 3K in 11:24, the 2K in 7:30 and the 1K in 3:41. This seemed to be a very beneficial workout for the upcoming 10-miler and marathon with intensity and duration. OK week but I need more miles, and in a hurry. Time is running out.

Week of March 15-21

Monday -- Off
Tuesday -- 3 miles easy
Wednesday -- 10 miles on treadmill in 1:05:55 = 12 miles total
Thursday -- 2 miles easy
Friday -- 6 miles at 6:20-mile pace
Saturday -- 4 miles
Sunday -- Off
Total -- 27 miles

Coming off the Highland Renaissance 24-Hour Race over the weekend, my total mileage for the ensuing week was really-really low with just 27 miles total. However, Wednesday's hard tempo on the treadmill went very well with a five-mile split of 33:08 and a 10-mile time of 1:05:55. Also, Friday's run with the Henry County track team started out with a 6:05 opening mile and averaged 6:20s. Not a good week but legs really fatigued and two decent runs. still feel fit.

March 8-14

Monday -- 4 miles (still recovering from strep throat)
Tuesday -- 4 miles / 5 miles = 9 miles
Wednesday -- 5 miles with 2 sets of 1K, 2x400
Thursday -- Off
Friday -- 6 miles steady
Saturday -- 24-Hour Race, 38 miles
Sunday -- Off
Total -- 62 miles

Still recovering from strep throat that has back-tracked my training, the week got off to a slow start before the Highland Renaissance 24-Hour Race over the weekend. In the first annual event, which I was the Race Director, I had not planned to compete but decided to do a long run in preperation for the Louisville Derby Marathon. The race started at 8 a.m. but I didn't start running until around 1 p.m. I ran 20 miles easy (on the two-mile long loops), took a break, then ran 14 miles progressingly increasing the pace to close to seven-minute miles. After the 34 miles, I took a long break, then walked four miles for 38 total during the event. I felt good considering I have been coming off the strep throat, had not been doing many long runs and ran 34 miles at a decent pace. From this point forward, I need to really start focusing on the marathon training with an emphasize on long runs and maraton-specific workouts. I will race the Papa John's 10-Miler on April 3 and the Derby Marathon on April 24.

Week of March 1-7

Monday -- Off, sick
Tuesday -- 3 miles easy, sick
Wednesday -- off, sick
Thursday -- off, sick, tested positive for strep throat
Friday -- 2 miles with 7x200 controlled speed, still sick
Saturday -- Off
Sunday -- Off
Total -- 5 miles

Week of Feb. 22-28

Monday -- 6 miles inside HCHS including relays with high school runners
Tuesday -- 8 miles outside in the morning / 4 miles insdie including fast relays with high school runners = 12 miles
Wednesday -- (treadmill) warm up, 2xmile, 5-mile hard, 2xmile, cool down = 11 miles
Times were 6:04, 5:59, 31:18, 5:59, 5:59
Thursday -- Off
Friday -- 6 miles with 3 miles hard racing the high school runners. Ran inside the high school on a 11-laps-to-the-mile loop with tight turns, 33 laps in 18:11.
Saturday -- Off, started feeling sick
Sunday -- Off, feeling sick
Total -- 31 miles

Week of Feb. 15-21

Monday -- 8 miles in blizzard
Tuesday -- (treadmill) warm up, 2xmile, 4-mile tempo, 2xmile, cool down = 10 miles
Times were 6:16, 6:05, 26:30, 6:08, 5:58
Wednesday -- (treadmill) 12 miles
Tuursday -- 8 miles inside HCHS including relays with high school runners
Friday -- 6 miles inside HCHS including relays with high school runners
Saturdday -- 12 miles with road runners, finishing with final 3 miles 6:15-average
Sunday -- Off
Total -- 56 miles

Week of Feb.8-14

Increased mileage to 50 miles this week in my first time reaching the milestone in my preparation for the Louisville Marathon. Wednesday and Thursday were my key days with Wednesday getting in 20 total miles on the treadmill in two separate runs (ran 12 miles early in the morning, then ran another 8 miles when the kids took a nap), then ran hill sprints with Cassey, Cathryn and Eric at the Fischers house in Campbellsburg on Thursday. Very good back-to-back days. Here was the week:

Monday -- 6 miles with two relays inside with HCHS track team
Tuesday -- 8 miles outside in snow
Wednesday -- 12 miles on treadmill/8 miles on treadmill = 20 miles
Thursday -- 6 miles with 15 x hill sprints (5x200, 5x150, 5x100) outside in snow
Friday -- 6 miles with two relays inside with HCHS track team
Saturday -- 4 miles easy on treadmill
Sunday -- Off
Total -- 50 miles

Week of Feb. 1-Feb. 7

I increased my mileage by 11 in my second week back to training, getting up to 45 for the week. I also started to add more intense running into the training plan -- Monday I ran five strides at about 90-percent effort after a steady run, Tuesday I ran two miles at goal marathon pace during an 8-miler, Friday I ran a fast relay with my high school/middle school runners, and Saturday I ran a tempo in the cold weather. Here is the breakdown:

Monday -- 5 miles, plus 5x100
Tuesday -- 8 miles with 2 miles at 6:30-pace
Wednesday -- 16 miles on treadmill
Thursday -- 6 miles at site of Renaissance 24-Hour Race
Friday -- 4 miles, plus indoor relay with high school runners of about 2 miles of hard running
Saturday -- warmup, 42-minute tempo on snowy roads = 6 miles
Sunday -- Off
Total -- 45 miles

Week of Jan. 25-Jan. 31

In my first week back to training, in preparation for the Louisville Marathon on April 24, I ran 34 miles with mostly easy to steady runs. I felt relatively good considering it was my first week back to training. Here is what I did:

Monday -- 4 miles in the morning / 4 miles in the afternoon = 8 miles
Tuesday -- Off
Wednesday -- 7 miles
Thursday -- 4 miles in the morning / 5 miles in the afternoon = 9 miles
Friday -- 3 miles in the morning / 3 miles in the afternoon = 6 miles
Saturday -- 4 miles with 25-minute tempo in the snow
Sunday -- Off
Total -- 34 miles