Bear down

I feel like singing the Bears fight song when I write the title to this entry.  But it seems appropriate.  This is really the time in fall marathon training when you need to bear down and put in the hard work.  If you are running the Chicago marathon, it is about five weeks out from the race, and you should be putting in the hardest training in your program right about now.  This is probably the period that will determine how well you are able to run the big race. And if you fail to get in the good work now, you will know why you probably won't run the time you are hoping for. 

Marathon training is interesting.  I have now been running marathons longer that I ran track and cross country in High school and College, but my training mindset was established during those long ago days.  So much of what we were focused on in those days was about running fast and being able to do it for maybe a half mile, or up to a 10k.  I seemed to be able to understand that better than the marathon, which has so many variables.  In marathon training, you don't really worry too much about running fast, just long and hard.  You want to build up your strength and endurance.  The speed is secondary at the level most of us run marathons.

That said, the build-up is coming to a head right now.  I've been reading a few other marathon authors recently, and noticing that some have you build to distances further than 20 miles.  Some go 22, or even 26 in training.  I do see the merit in that, but being a middle distance guy, I think 20 is about fine for me.  In fact, if I thought I could get away with 16, I would probably try that.  So 20 it is.  I have done one already, and I think I'll do one more. 

I am planning my second 20 miler around the CARA schedule.  They have planned an exciting training run along the lakefront on September 16th.  It's an organized 20 mile run set for three weeks out from Chicago, with several thousand of your fellow marathon hopefuls.  The plan to start out at Foster up north and run south along the lakefront path to the South Shore Cultural Center.  They will have support/aid stations along the way, and a band, Underwater People, playing at the finish.  Kind of like a race, but it's only for training, not for time.  When the Executive Director of CARA, Betsy Armstrong, was describing it to me she kept inadvertently referring to is as a race.  And except for the fact it won't matter how you finish, it will be similar to a race.  They are even providing technical t-shirts to everyone who signs up.  It's a great idea, and one I'm surprised CARA hasn't done before now.  This is the perfect kind of event for them, and I'm glad they are doing it.  I think it will make the 20 miler a little easier to get through.  If you are interested, they are filling up, but they still have room.  You can find information at www.cararuns.org .

Meantime, I'm actually trying to chill a little this week.  I'm cutting way back on the mileage and trying to get as much rest as possible.  Thinking about maybe doing the half marathon in Hyde Park this weekend for a long run before the 20 miler in two weeks.   As I mentioned at the beginning of this entry, this is the time to bear down, and, believe me, I have been for the last few weeks.  It's also a time when it's easy to forget the important principal of getting rest and allowing your body to recover and get ready for more hard work.  I am trying not to forget that, so I will get some work in, but keep the mileage down a bit this week, and then gear up for the final push.   

By the way, one thought about the half marathon I should share.  This would not be the time to go out and race a half marathon.  It would be a good time to get in a solid, steady effort, and perhaps work on pace.  But if you are training for the marathon, you don't want to put too much into the half a month before, and ruin your big race.  It is a good time to work on pace, and get the feel of race conditions, but not a good time to race.

Anyway, as I was doing an easy run this afternoon, I was thinking about how now is a good time to start psyching myself up for specific time goals for the marathon.  I want to start thinking about where I would like to be at 13 miles, and at 20 miles, and how I want to finish.  I have had an idea where I want to finish for a while, but I haven't really thought too much about how to get there.  Now is a good time to begin to get that clear in my head.  I'll keep you posted as I figure it out.  I'm sure you'll be on the edge of your seat.

Meantime, maybe I'll see you in Hyde Park, or just out on the roads....

Comments

[kevin_hacker]

I'll second your comment that now is not the time to do an all-out race of a half marathon. I did that one month before Boston in Cary last year and developed achilles tendonitis, which blew my first Boston race. I had a great finish time in Cary, but I payed for it. I definitely won't be "racing" any more halfs that close to a marathon date in the future.