Undulating Splits
Wanted to get a few more marathon pace miles in this morning in the name of revving the engine. Ran an old chestnut, where I warm up to 34th and Market and run hard for 2 miles to the Civil War Memorial in Fairmount Park. Anyone who's run the Phila Marathon knows that segment as the only part of the course (with the exception now that they added Lemon Hill to the course) with any hills to speak of. This segment is exactly two miles, then there is about a half-mile downhill to MLK, and then its another mile of marked bike path to the Strawberry Mansion bridge. This 3.5 mile portion I'd take at 6:07 pace. Afterwards I start running easy again.
Turns out this was not the best of choices for simulating marathon conditions. The first two miles is a challenging stretch, and with the up and downhills its hard to get a good read on pace until I get the split time at two miles. I know I could run it fast if I wanted, but I was looking to get the marathon pace feel, meaning I'd be running briskly but not so much that I get real anaerobic (i.e., tempo pace). All this overthinking, and a truck blocking the sidewalk by the zoo, and a long red light at 34th and Girard Ave, all contributed to a 12:38 2-mile split. I continued pace on the downhill and then ran the last, marked mile in 6:02. After that I jogged home, speeding up a bit at the end when I realized I was running late.
The cooldown gave me some time to think about my marathon pace performance. From the initial disappointment of missing my initial time goal, I digested my performance to where I came to appreciate the role of various course intangibles. My effort for the first part felt about the same as for the second, where time and effort felt like I wanted them to. I still don't like missing a time goal, I'd feel better compensating for course factors by running a bit faster. But in a marathon, adapting, rather than bulling through, is the wiser way to go. Hopefully my experience this morning will lead to my feeling a bit more relaxed at the specter of undulating splits come Boston. If that is the case then I will have picked up a bit of wisdom this morning.
It is all mental from here on in. 10 miles along this course in 81:03.
Turns out this was not the best of choices for simulating marathon conditions. The first two miles is a challenging stretch, and with the up and downhills its hard to get a good read on pace until I get the split time at two miles. I know I could run it fast if I wanted, but I was looking to get the marathon pace feel, meaning I'd be running briskly but not so much that I get real anaerobic (i.e., tempo pace). All this overthinking, and a truck blocking the sidewalk by the zoo, and a long red light at 34th and Girard Ave, all contributed to a 12:38 2-mile split. I continued pace on the downhill and then ran the last, marked mile in 6:02. After that I jogged home, speeding up a bit at the end when I realized I was running late.
The cooldown gave me some time to think about my marathon pace performance. From the initial disappointment of missing my initial time goal, I digested my performance to where I came to appreciate the role of various course intangibles. My effort for the first part felt about the same as for the second, where time and effort felt like I wanted them to. I still don't like missing a time goal, I'd feel better compensating for course factors by running a bit faster. But in a marathon, adapting, rather than bulling through, is the wiser way to go. Hopefully my experience this morning will lead to my feeling a bit more relaxed at the specter of undulating splits come Boston. If that is the case then I will have picked up a bit of wisdom this morning.
It is all mental from here on in. 10 miles along this course in 81:03.
posted by seebo | 10:06 AM
1 Comments:
To much analysis. I think I read something about 1000 miles in 100 days a few posts ago. That is all the info you need. Have fun in Boston.
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