I turned 43 this past May and while I have been a swimmer and swim/bike/running for more than a decade. Swimming has become a little frustrating. Main sets are now done at warm up pace from a decade ago, which would bother me more if I could see the clock well but my eye sight has gone to crap too so I just tell myself I must have missed the send off. Even worse is getting up 3-4 times per week to take a leak. After 17 years of marriage my wife and I have changed sides of the bed to accommodate. Pathetic.
I signed up for Waco 70.3 a few months back. I was all in for the race. On my last 12 weeks build up I put in 11 solid weeks (plus one rest week) of 13-14 hours including a nice longish (3-3.5 hour) ride every Saturday and consistent weekly run volume around 32-35 miles. Some solid swims too. Last Monday I went through the start list and told myself a podium was a reasonable goal. I was ready!
I coach my son's soccer team. We had an okay season, going 3-5-1 and squeaking into the playoffs (16 teams, we finished 7th). Monday night, we upset the 2 seed, Thursday we upset the 3 seed. Saturday night final game. Ummm, so much for Waco (we lost the final, but it was an awesome week)!
Friday, when I pulled the plug on Waco, I signed up for a half marathon Sunday morning. Reasonably big race (7000 participants) Why not. I snag an A coral bib, telling them I can run sub 1:30. I am not certain of this but it seems likely. The run specific training wasn't really there but my fitness level was solid. My PR is just under 1:26 from 7 years ago, age 36. But back them my eyes and bladder still worked. I set a goal of 1:28:59. (~6:47 pace)
Weather was a perfect 50 degrees. Out and back, perfectly flat course with only 3 turns so not a lot of extra tangent running. The race starts well. 6:48, 6:29, 6:31. I wonder to myself if the garmin dropped on mile 1 because I didn't notice a pickup in pace.
Next 3 miles, 6:38, 6:42, 6:38. Feeling great, new goal, 1:27:59.
Miles 7-9 6:42, 6:37, 6:41. At this point 1:26:59 is on the table.
Beginning the 10th mile I tell myself the same thing I have told myself at every race I have every done. I'll find that final gear the last mile. Of course I have NEVER actually found that gear that last mile. We just tell ourselves it will come because our memories are short and our hearts are bigger than our brains. Mile 10 6:35, Mile 11 6:38. I am not fading and now 1:26 feels in the bag.
Mile 12 is a 6:26 and I cannot believe it. I still a match to burn and I I know the last mile my fastest one of the day. Quick calculation says I need a 5:55 last mile to PR, unless my signal really did drop on mile 1 (nah, trust technology). I check pace at 2 minutes and I am at 6:13, I check pace at 5 minutes and I am at 6:12. This is it. I drop the metaphorical hammer (to those who drop the hammer down to 4:55, chapeau!). Heading into a turn the garmin chirps....6:09 that mile and running 5:25 pace. I look up an the finish line is only 60 yards away. Cross the line in a sprint, clock reads 1:26:04 but pretty sure I went under 1:26 (I missed my garmin button, then pressed lap, then pressed stop.). I am just tickled. With no expectations and at a back up plan race I execute nearly perfectly and maybe got a PR.
Get to the phone and wife has texted me. Unoffical result shows 1:25:56. Darn. PR is 1:25:55. Get home, official results... 1:25:55. Take that you 36 year old bladder functioning whipper-snappers.
(Epilogue: this story was brought to you by nike next %)
I signed up for Waco 70.3 a few months back. I was all in for the race. On my last 12 weeks build up I put in 11 solid weeks (plus one rest week) of 13-14 hours including a nice longish (3-3.5 hour) ride every Saturday and consistent weekly run volume around 32-35 miles. Some solid swims too. Last Monday I went through the start list and told myself a podium was a reasonable goal. I was ready!
I coach my son's soccer team. We had an okay season, going 3-5-1 and squeaking into the playoffs (16 teams, we finished 7th). Monday night, we upset the 2 seed, Thursday we upset the 3 seed. Saturday night final game. Ummm, so much for Waco (we lost the final, but it was an awesome week)!
Friday, when I pulled the plug on Waco, I signed up for a half marathon Sunday morning. Reasonably big race (7000 participants) Why not. I snag an A coral bib, telling them I can run sub 1:30. I am not certain of this but it seems likely. The run specific training wasn't really there but my fitness level was solid. My PR is just under 1:26 from 7 years ago, age 36. But back them my eyes and bladder still worked. I set a goal of 1:28:59. (~6:47 pace)
Weather was a perfect 50 degrees. Out and back, perfectly flat course with only 3 turns so not a lot of extra tangent running. The race starts well. 6:48, 6:29, 6:31. I wonder to myself if the garmin dropped on mile 1 because I didn't notice a pickup in pace.
Next 3 miles, 6:38, 6:42, 6:38. Feeling great, new goal, 1:27:59.
Miles 7-9 6:42, 6:37, 6:41. At this point 1:26:59 is on the table.
Beginning the 10th mile I tell myself the same thing I have told myself at every race I have every done. I'll find that final gear the last mile. Of course I have NEVER actually found that gear that last mile. We just tell ourselves it will come because our memories are short and our hearts are bigger than our brains. Mile 10 6:35, Mile 11 6:38. I am not fading and now 1:26 feels in the bag.
Mile 12 is a 6:26 and I cannot believe it. I still a match to burn and I I know the last mile my fastest one of the day. Quick calculation says I need a 5:55 last mile to PR, unless my signal really did drop on mile 1 (nah, trust technology). I check pace at 2 minutes and I am at 6:13, I check pace at 5 minutes and I am at 6:12. This is it. I drop the metaphorical hammer (to those who drop the hammer down to 4:55, chapeau!). Heading into a turn the garmin chirps....6:09 that mile and running 5:25 pace. I look up an the finish line is only 60 yards away. Cross the line in a sprint, clock reads 1:26:04 but pretty sure I went under 1:26 (I missed my garmin button, then pressed lap, then pressed stop.). I am just tickled. With no expectations and at a back up plan race I execute nearly perfectly and maybe got a PR.
Get to the phone and wife has texted me. Unoffical result shows 1:25:56. Darn. PR is 1:25:55. Get home, official results... 1:25:55. Take that you 36 year old bladder functioning whipper-snappers.
(Epilogue: this story was brought to you by nike next %)