Something Learned: The Importance of Training with Pace

In my recent run training, while following BarryP's run plan, I've gone from <10 miles a week with no pacing mechanism to 40 miles a week using my somewhat rudimentary understanding pacing.  In short, pacing for me, can be summed up in one phrase, "Understand Your Limits"

With pacing, and the help of my trusty gps watch to help me identify my pace, I've been able to see and experience my upper boundaries.  Granted, I'm not fast by any sense of the word 'fast', but as of this past week, I can identify that I'm capable of running faster than my McMillan predicted Marathon Pace for 11 miles.  While those 11 miles were my long run for this week, the last 4 miles were done at around tempo run pace... which boggles my mind.  I never knew that I could crank out that kind of speed at the final third leg of my long run.

So what does this all mean?  Well, first of all, as my mileage continues to creep up, it gives me the confidence to run my middle distance runs faster.  I know I can accomplish the distance and now I know I can up the intensity.  Further, it tells me that my recovery is adequate and that I am not over exercising as I am able to burn glycogen and go anaerobic at the end of a long week or running. Mentally, it encourages me to work harder and it allows me to get over the mental hurdle of "will I hit the wall if I run this fast?" and if anything is in short supply when it comes to a beginner's first attempt at self endurance training, self confidence in knowing that the direction taken is correct would be that limiting factor.

While much of pacing indicates that there's room to improve at the top end of my speed, the other extreme is incredibly important.  I've learned that to improve, one can't push the speed barrier all the time and that it's important to get in mileage at a slower pace.  The nature of the planned pacing for these short runs is to allow me to run a middle distance or long distance competently the day after.  As such, the planned pacing for them should be much slower than my marathon pacing.  What I have learned, is that even though I feel like I'm taking it easy on these short run days, I've been running faster than my predicted Marathon Pace, thus robbing my legs of their potential on my middle/long distance days.

In understanding my upper and lower boundaries or limits, I can train for my marathon smarter and more efficiently.  In addition, this knowledge will be helpful as I add swimming back into the mix for my triathlon training, hopefully saving myself time by eliminating garbage yardage... 

Training: Specificity (Running)

As previously mentioned, I'm training for the 2011 LA Marathon in March.  My history with distance running has been relatively short, as I trained with Team in Training last fall/winter for the 2011 Rock and Roll Arizona Marathon.  I finished that marathon in 4:53.12 after doing well for about 21 miles. While I told my friends and family that my goal was just to finish, my unspoken goal was to finish with a 10 min/mile average. Unfortunately, both of my quads completely cramped up at mile 21, which made the last 6 miles an absolute hell.  Finishing more than 30 mins behind my goal time was dissapointing, but throughout the following 10 months, I'm finally beginning to understand the holes in my training that led me to that result.

The mistake I made while training for that marathon was a complete lack of knowledge of distance running and sport specific training.  I was deeply involved with Crossfit back then and was of the belief that high intensity, short duration exercises, with sprint workouts and one long run a week was sufficient training for success at a marathon.

I'll probably get flamed to hell if Crossfitters find this post, but before I continue, let me just clarify that this is my experience and my belief of what didn't work and what does work for me.  If whatever you do works for you.  Great.  I'm happy for you.  Don't let what works for you, dictate what should work for others. 

Ok, let's continue.

So what went wrong?

What I didn't understand then was that in the realm of endurance sports, training volume must be sufficient for the body to handle the expected stresses at the race.  If the planned race is a marathon, it means getting in a high cumulative mileage week after week so that the body, come race time, can handle the stresses of not just running 26.2 miles, but doing it at a manageable pace.

I also didnt understand that many of the recommendations for speedwork, hill ascents, tempo runs, were recommendations for individuals who had already established a base or a foundation for their chosen sport.  Throughout my first marathon training, my base wasn't running.  My base was pullups, pushups, situps, squats, burpees, deadlifts, etc.  In my head, I justified this by convincing myself that a really exceptional general fitness would help me get through the marathon. While my general fitness may have contributed to my finishing of the marathon, all the extra muscle and lack of running certainly did not help me meet my goal.

So what's different this time around?

This fall/winter, I'm focused on training for a marathon again.  This time, I've realized that to run a marathon, not just for completion, but for a specific goal time, I'm going to have to put in some serious mileage and some strict pace adherence.  I'm working off of a training plan designed by Barry Pollock (aka BarryP) here:

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=1612485;search_string=runtraining;#1612485

The gist of the run plan is to accumulate mileage by running several days a week and by running at defined paces.  The goal is to create a base and to prevent injury. Currently, I'm up to 35 miles a week and loving the progress in both my mileage acclimation as well as my speed improvements.  My goal is to get up to a couple of 70 mile weeks with some 20+ mile long runs prior to the LA Marathon.

Stay tuned for updates on my progress!

At Last! An Update!

Well, it's been a couple months since the last post, but I'm back after a somewhat reasonable hiatus to dig deeper into what makes me tick in the world of athletic endeavors.

I've got a bunch of topics to hit and I'll make sure that we start doing some regular postings, if anything, to keep the motivation and focus going strong.

One thing I learned yesterday is that the more people you tell that you're going to do something, the harder it is for you to not follow through.  Naturally, triathletes, newly minted marathoners and Ironmen likely don't have the problem of NOT talking about their endeavors at length, but for beginners, it can be healthy to let others know that a 5k is on the horizon or that they're walking 3 days a week.  It's great to be active, and at the same time, it's great to use your support group and peers to keep you honest, because, let's face it... it's easy to dissapoint yourself, but to dissapoint your mother after she's told all her friends that you're doing your very first 5k? 

Yeah, let's not go there.

Anyways, I am currently training for the LA Marathon in March.  I'll talk about my experiences with barefoot running and increasing run mileage soon, but for right now, I'm going to focus on posting regularly.

Also, if you're looking for some great reviews on minimalist shoes, check out Running and Rambling.  It just so happens he's holding a shoe giveaway.  Check it out! http://www.runningandrambling.com/2010/12/new-balance-mt101-giveaway.html