Sunday, March 6, 2016

Statistically speaking...


It’s been a while since I have blogged, I can’t say I haven’t had much to blog about. Much has happened since the last time I have made an entry here. Busy busy busy. Work, coaching, family, life. I decided to get more serious with my training this year as I’m not getting any younger. I looked at my marathon P.R. still puzzled why it has not fallen yet. It’s not like I haven’t been training hard. I figured it’s not that but maybe I’m just not training smart enough. So today I decided to compile a spreadsheet of the long distance races I have completed and analyze the training three months prior to the race. Part of what I found surprised me, part didn’t. I have finally figured the whole cramping up thing, which is probably 75% of the problem. The new issue now is to find a way to not hit the infamous ‘wall’ after mile 20. I think I have that figured out. Looking at the data I compiled, it’s plain and simple. I need to run more miles. I knew that already, but didn’t really think about what ‘more miles’ meant. When I first started compiling the data, it was looking like I wasn’t getting enough run workouts in. That isn’t it at all.

RACE


RACE
YEAR FINISH AVG  TARGET PACE PACE FALL OFF 
COWTOWN 50K 2016 6:16:06 12:03:00 10:00:00 mile 20
TULSA ROUTE 66 2015 4:40:55 10:34 9:30 mile 18
EL SCORCHO 50K 2014 6:47:53 13:07 - -
COWTOWN 50K 2014 5:21:44 10:21:00 - -
TULSA ROUTE 66 2013 4:14 9:35 8:45 mile 17
DALLAS 2012 5:41:00 12:49 9:00 Mile 20*
BIG D 2012 4:13:06 9:39 9:00 Mile 22
*Clayed Out
 
  TRAINING (3 MO PRIOR)


RACE
total # RUNS 18+ runs 20+ runs Avg miles/week
COWTOWN 50K 53 5 2 31
TULSA ROUTE 66 54 1 0 32
EL SCORCHO 50K 48 3 3 34
COWTOWN 50K 51 7 8 36
TULSA ROUTE 66 70 3 2 48
DALLAS  75 7 5 46
BIG D 74 7 5 43


My first ever 26.2 is still my P.R.  Part of that is that I was a newbie still and ignorant.  I didn’t fall off my pace until mile 22 which is the longest I have ever held a strong steady pace.  I had 7 runs of 18 miles or more during training.  That is a P.R. for my training.  I had the same for my first Cowtown Ultra in 2014, which I did not have a target pace, I just ran for fun but felt the best I had ever felt before during a race.  I remember running an 8-9 minute mile when I was at mile 26.  I didn’t hit any type of wall until around mile 28.  In contrast, my worst marathon statistically was in Tulsa this past year where I didn’t have any runs of 20 miles or more during training, which is to be expected.  I did do a lot of strength training that season and it did make a difference on hills.  Hills were no problem.  However I’m finding there is no substitute, at least for me in getting in enough long long runs. I just realized I did not include Big D Marathon 2013 which I paced even splits all the way through for a 4:15 marathon and didn't even bat an eye.  I'm thinking that is because I was already marathon trained fresh off of running the Cowtown Ultra a couple months before. I think there were 2-3 18-20 mile runs between those two races.  I'm actually pretty sure of it.
I was just chatting with a running buddy yesterday that I have great training runs, but my races suck. Today I found out that it is probably that I just don't have ENOUGH great traning runs.  I need more of them.  I’m thinking this, along with the other things I have learned along the way will eventually help me get a P.R.  At some point, it will happen.  So it looks like my Saturday mornings will be just a little bit more occupied now J

-TNT-

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