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-