14 Weeks: Boulder Marathon Race Plan

“Self?” I asked into the mirror, “What is your goal?”

After a good look into my own eyes, I answered.

“Is that achievable in this race?”

Not yet, I thought as my eyes stared back unconvinced. Try again.

“Self, what is your goal?

Ok, I thought, under the circumstances that holds water and leaves room for a break through. One last question: 

“How are going to get it done? What’s your plan?”

Fourteen weeks ago, Memorial Day, I set a goal to build enough fitness to be able to run far enough to respectably complete the Boulder Marathon on Labor Day. I was starting from scratch and knew when I set the goal it wasn’t enough time to get truly race ready. But my goal was the preparation, not the race.

Going into tomorrow’s race, I already completed my primary goal:

"To get fit enough to respectably run the Boulder Marathon.”

That sure takes the pressure off when I haven’t attempted anything over a friendly 10K in nearly three years. It gives me, the enduring runner (http://runfrost.blogspot.com/2011/08/14-weeks-enduring-runner.html), an opportunity to enjoy the day and a return to fitness.

The "break-through opportunity", that’s the challenge goal:

 “Don’t be afraid to flex your new found fitness, form, 

and intelligence for this race to punch a return ticket to Boston.”

Whether I run Boston or not isn’t the point. It’s the measuring stick we all use, so why not? It’s our sports major championship of the year, the Marathon’s version of the US Open. Like Golf’s US Open (with a slightly larger field), every amateur can do it as long as they qualify. Boston has become so popular you need to be at least five minutes under the 3:20 qualifying time to get in. 

So there it is, sub 3:15. Slower than my other six marathons and 18 minutes short of a PR, the time still feels quick on 14 weeks of training, but I have real evidence to trust come meat and potatoes time in the race.

That’s the goal – now the plan. It begins, first and foremost by acknowledging doubts that will inevitably creep into my mind and arming myself with the mental tools to fend them off when fatigue sets in. I thought detailed race plans, “self talk” and “visualization” tactics were a tad corny right up until I started running PRs. You can talk yourself into or out of a great day with how you prepare to handle the inevitable test of truth that happens between your ears.

The Plan:

You succeed today by trusting your preparation, great patience, managing your resources, and enjoying your new found fitness. 

·      You wake early – 5:15am, ready to get after it well before your alarm clock sounds. You slept well though sometimes antsy with the anticipation. It’s a race day!

·      My perfect race is simply to give a full account of my training and run as hard and intelligently as I am able. I already achieved my goal in building the fitness to rightfully toe the line today. A sub 3:15 BQ is secondary, but something I am ready to step up and achieve come crunch time.

·      It’s been a while since you finished dinner at 4pm yesterday afternoon so you wouldn’t be heavy this morning.

·      Your favorite bagel and peanut butter with liquid jet fuel, Perpeteum mixed with 20 ounces of water, some CoQ10 with Idebenone and Choline with Inositol – the breakfast of champions!

·      A quick shower – no softening of the tissue. No shave – that was the night before. A wake up call to the power houses of the day via some muscle activation drills. Ok – all systems go & accounted for!

·      An Americano Doppio and it’s time to grab the gear and go.

·      Your clothes are laid out from the night before. You dress quickly. A few quick hops, and more activation. A quick check for all tools of the trade – chip, number, flats, extra clothes in the bag, water bottles, gels, and a small snack bar for shortly before the race.

·      6:30 am – Depart for the Res with plenty of time to stay relaxed and gradually warm the legs.

·      On the drive, you run through your key work outs savoring the confidence that has come from solid preparation. You remember the key strength and confidence building runs. You will need these later when it is time to call on all that strength.

ü  The 18+ mile night run around the Res that looped in parts of today’s course

ü  The strength and power of your 2 x 10K workout a month ago under the lightining

ü  The 21 mile “no chain day” looping today’s course just a month ago

ü  3 x 5K cut downs just 3 weeks ago and averaging under 6:40 on last two

ü  A surprisingly easy 1:30 in the Heart + Soul Half Marathon two weeks ago when you were just clicking along to prepare for today

·      You arrive at The Res confident knowing you have done the work

·      No more than 5 minutes of light jogging, just enough to get the blood pumping and warm the muscles up for a light stretch.

·      7:15am – Gear up – shoes, laced firm around the toe box to keep the toes from jamming in the shoes on the downhill sections. Don’t forget the Band-Aids!

·      7:20 am – head to the start line and find a spot to settle in behind the fast starters.

·      One minute to go, more hops, pitter patter feet. A quick check of all systems. You are relaxed, you are sharp, and you are ready to roll.

You broke today’s race into six parts to help you manage everything it will throw at you.

1. Eight Up - The first 8 miles climb 400 to 500 feet .

·      On the start line you think about patience. Off with the gun! You quickly settle into your rhythm – light and efficient.

·      First steps are choppy as everybody seeks out enough room to drop comfortably into their stride. A few minutes – that's better. You notice your light & quick your stride – a key to the day. Smile!

·      You go out smoothly at a controlled and relaxed even pace.

·      Today is like having home field advantage; you know every corner, every stretch of the route, every up and down. It is always beautiful this time of the day at The Rest. You picked this race for a return to running for these exact reasons – enjoy it!

·      You wind around the west side of the reservoir and before you know it there is Monarch Road and the 2 mile mark – 14:30 to 14:40 was a nice way to gently ease into this race.

·      It’s too early for any dark patches, but once you start running the “how do I feel?” questions always begin. Classic doubts – “I feel heavy. A little lethargic. What does that mean?” – but you know, the first 4 miles of a race usually don’t feel great. It is a short warm-up, you have tons of glycogen built up your liver if you prepared right. You should feel heavy, like a jet on an oceanic flight you have a full fuel load on board. Feeling a little heavy is feeling prepared to go the distance today.

·      Turning left onto Niwot Road, the grade tips up. You trust your light, quick, cadence. A little more pressure on the legs feel great. You are patient. It’s the early rounds with this heavy weight and you’re just dancing.

·      Right onto 49^th and the road flattens for a moment, a quick respite with a shot of downhill to stride out before it tips up again. You eased gently into this race and now notice the benefits. You’ve cut it to 22 miles and your settling in. The potential heaviness is gone, your muscles are warm and firing really efficiently. You are managing your resources perfectly!

·      Up to Oxford Road, a tried and true friend of the Boulder Backroads and part of this loop you could run with your eyes closed. You looped it or 22 miles before a PR at Boston and again before a PR in Half at Las Vegas. This is like putting on house slippers. You roll!

·      6 miles at the turn onto 39^th, another favorite stretch, and you’re in comfortably around  43:30 and 44:00 and really starting to feel great – the depth of your preparation is now readily apparent. Around 45 minutes is where you always start getting in a rhythm on long-runs. This is the first time to start answering the inevitable “how do I feel?” questions. It’s impossible to feel anything but great at this point so don’t get excited. Be smart. Patient.

·      Two more light, quick, uphill miles and you arrive at Nelson Road. Your legs performed brilliantly for 58+ minutes and 8 miles of uphill. You marvel how gently you eased through this opening round of the fight and celebrate with your first gel – swish it with water and swallow.

2. Easy Two - Miles 9 + 10 are a reward. You drop quickly, 350 feet over just two miles.

·      You’re smart and know this is prime recovery opportunity, a chance to relax and make sure you have your lungs and legs under you. Hammer these downhill miles and you burn to much quad strength before getting into the guts of the race.

·      You relax and let it roll, enjoying the chance to tick some easy miles off the day’s total.

·      Your quick light strides, might feel a bit choppy, but using gravity effectively feels like a controlled fall down the hill.

·      The furthest thing from jack hammering those quads down the hills is you. Contact with the road is like a quick dip of the toe in the water to check the temp. Quick, quick, quick touches.

·      A right hander off Nelson Road and back onto the famous dirt roads North of Boulder. You arrive at 10M in 1:12:30 to 1:13:00 totally psyched – only two hours to go, the race is moving along brilliantly.

·      You are excited, but also relieved. 10 miles in you know the bug that got you on Wednesday is history. You know there is plenty of fuel in the tank. You know you have the legs. Now it is a matter of execution. The day is laid out before you. A chance to step up and accept the challenge ahead that will put all these resources to the test.

3. The Rollers: miles 10 – 12 might lots of short steep ups and steep downs on narrow dirt roads make it feel like a roller coaster.

·      The downs are a threat to the quads while the lungs are a spike to the heart rate. Simply put, you won’t ever get comfortable in this section which is why you coasted from 8 to 10. “Time to dig in!”

·      You stay light on your feet, high cadence, good turnover, no pounding or macho crap.

·      You gain 150 feet or so over these rollers. They have plenty of bite but you could chew the high leg off this section if you wanted, but today you just swat it away like a pesky mosquito as the real battle still lies ahead.

·      You take the first real jabs of the day, and smile at the top of every roller. It’s completely within you today.

4. The Calm B4 the Storm – miles 12 to 17 are mostly downhill or flat (-350 feet)

·      You turn left back onto your old friend Oxford Road totally psyched – the half-way point is just ahead and you know 12 – 17 are very much in your favor.

·      You cross 13M between 1:34 and 1:35 knowing you are easily on pace for your stretch goal and have managed to get to this point with little wear and tear. You have run smart and managed resources very well.

·      You finished the Heart+Soul Half Marathon two weeks ago in 1:30 feeling fresh and good for several more miles at 6:50 pace. At 7:15 to 7:20s today, you are simply that much more relaxed and comfortable. You are ready to ease into the back half of the race full of the confidence that you have been here before having done a greater workload than today.

·      A short uphill and now a long, steep, downhill. Super light and focus on low impact to the quads. Your cadence is high, light and quick, your quads embrace the work load and are quick to respond.

·      You know this section is a bit of a psyche job. The 350 feet of downhill will reverse itself and you’ll repeat every step of this from 18 to 22 miles when the battle will truly be waged. It’s like running into a trap – you can get in but you can’t get out without a fight.

·      Enjoy the prelude. Simply show the course your form and make it realize you will be no easy prey today. It is you who is in charge.

·      You succeed today by trusting your preparation, great patience, managing your resources, and enjoying your new found fitness. 

·      At the bottom of the hill you hit 14 miles and break out your second gel pack between 1:41 and 1:42.

·      You enjoy the long run down to the turn-around at mile 17 which you hit just over 2 hours (2:03 to 2:04)

5. Another Heart Break Hill – from the turn to nearly 22 miles the grade flips around again and goes up. This is the meat and potatoes of the race.

·      It’s time to step up and embrace the day. This is why you were patient – the opportunity to press your fitness and will into the heart of the course.

·      At 19M the grade goes up. Another gel pack swished with water and it’s meat and potatoes time.

·      This is Boulder’s version of Boston’s Heartbreak Hill only it is about the hill – 150 to 200 feet in 1.5 miles or less to the high point near the 21 mile mark.

·       In 1936, John A. Kelly’s heart was broken at Boston by Tarzan Jones when her surged away to win the race forever leaving the hill to be known as Heart Break Hill. Boston’s Heartbreak Hill is only 88 vertical feet over 600 meters, the top of which is also the 21 mile mark.

·      You remember Boston in 2007, that hill and bite but you powered right up it using your hard earned strength built during a Winter spent training on this very road and this very hill! How funny to be using Boston imagery to race up the very hill you used to train for Boston’s Heart Break Hill.

·      Quick cadenced, hips forward, chin down as you glide right up. You feel the exertion – it's glorious. You marvel at this hill and how lifting your cadence so subtlety lifts you right up the hills.

·      You crest Boulder’s Heartbreak and your closing in on the 21 mile mark which you reach between 2:32:15 (7:15s) to 2:34:00 (7:20s)

·       A quick downhill to catch your breath and one more up, the last one with real bark. Same thing – quick cadence, hips forward, chin down, your form lifts you right up the hill.

·      You round the corner at the top and turn South onto 49th. You see the 22 mile mark ahead and now it is downhill from here.

·      You grab the last gel pack as you head into the aide station at mille 22 in around 2:40 to 2:43. This is a key checkpoint:

o    At 2:40 you’re already a nip under 3:10 pace.

o   At 2:43 you’re tracking perfectly toward a low 3:14.

o   2:44 and you’re still in a great position to roll these last 4 miles of downhill and dip under 3:15.

·      “Commit or Quit?” the question has already been through your mind many times by now. Each time you know your 21 mile no chain day, your 2 x 10K workout, were right saying “you got this!”

·      But now you’re out 22 miles the effort has been hard and you’re spent. From here it’s will power and trusting your training.

·      “You can talk yourself into or out of a good race” you tell yourself. You know it is true. You have been here before – CIM06, NYC 97, Austin 06, Grandma’s 98, Boston 07, each time you hit 22 mile mark with a split within 2 minutes of each other, yet you finished between 2:57 and 3:10. How does 2 minutes become a finish range of 13 minutes you ask yourself already knowing the answer?

·      This is it “the moment of truth” where you are able to step up and achieve or be presented with a hard fact – you’re about to pay the price for not being honest with yourself.

·      “It’s meat and potatoes time” the voice in your head shouts – you are ready to commit.

·      This is what you have waited for and why your patience persisted for 18 miles. Time to reap the rewards.

·      You remember the “commit or quit” at Boston. You got a stitch in your right side after cresting Heart Break Hill and taking your last gel. You could have easily quit. That’s a legitimate excuse, right?

·      You isolated that pain and ran with it 1.5 miles fully committed. That stupid frame in your head.

·      Remember the frame!?

·      At the race expo the day before Boston, you ordered a commemorative frame, something you have never done before and never thought you would do. But on this day you used it to commit to running a sub 3:00 PR on a day you knew would be among the worst in Boston’s history.

·      The thought of seeing that frame arrive in the mail with any time that stared with a “3” in the hours slot was so incredibly unacceptable to the hours of train you put in that you could get through anything. Twenty mile an hour wind gusts, freezing rain in your face, a stitch at 22 miles – anything.

·      For over 4 miles, meat and potatoes time, all you pictured was that stupid wooden frame with a "2" in the hour slot. That was a commit! Many people threw in the towel that day before the race ever started.

·      Well, there are plenty of doubts today, plenty of reasons you could “quit” and jog it in:

o   You were sick last week

o   Your training over 14 weeks was plenty short on 20+ mile runs.

o   Your chronically sore right hammy has probably been tight for the past 5 miles.

o   Your quads are likely on the edge of failing; calves are probably screaming

o   You could quit and latch onto the14 weeks of preparation having been enough to meet your goal. This wasn’t it – the last 4 miles of hell aren’t required.

·      You Commit! These doubts are just that. Your 4 miles from the barn. You put yourself in the exact position you wanted. This is what you have waited & trained for, this is what you want.

·      Of course, you committed yesterday. You did something you swore you would never do. Over your own better judgment you actually put this on Facebook!

·      Good God what were you thinking!?

·      Perhaps that it would power you through these decisive miles. That posting a BQ would say it all and not just sub 3:20, but sub 3:15.

·      “My perfect race today is simply to give a full account of my training and run as hard and intelligently as I am able.”

·      You’re at the door step. You have this. Though you feel the wear and tear, you acknowledge it means you earned the right to press your will and your fitness right in the face of every doubt the Marathon has to throw at you.

·      You have great confidence in your preparation for this defining stretch. You enjoy the exertion and strain of a worthy, home course. You relish every step. Here the legacy of this proving ground North of Boulder is being lain down. You run with gratitude, guts, grace & pride. You commit to bringing it home. To fail is one thing, but not to have tried, to have caved under the weight of doubts, critics who like to mock but never get in the ring and mix it up, that is a fate worse than failure. You have nothing to lose. You Roll!

6.       Home Stretch!

·      Before the thoughts of commitment are out of your mind, your already turning onto Niwot Road.

·      Niwot Road! You smell the barn!

·      FOCUS AND BUCKLE DOWN – you apply your rhythmic and methodical pace and cadence exactly as envisioned. Unstoppable, immutable…you are worthy.

·      Your  hips go forward, vision fixed firmly 10 yards ahead, as your feet and knees churn like pistons. You are now flying picking off a few of those less prepared.

·      You roll!

·      Right back onto 55^th and past the same Monarch Road you crossed 22 miles ago. The 2 mile mark is the 24 mile mark on the road home. Nice to see you again Monarch Road!

·      You roll!

·      You pass the 25 mile marker – the adrenaline wells up from secret stores opened in July and March pounding out miles on long hot roads.

·      You know the success goes to those who step up to receive—YOU STEP UP, STRIDE OUT with quickness, lightness & strength.

·      Your adrenaline and will power lift your pace – each step carrying you to a BQ that seemed impossible just 14 weeks ago.

·      You see the line – elation. Sheer unfettered joy wells up in recognition of an effort well delivered.  You’re back. The Enduring Runner is back.

·      This run was about finding yourself once again on the back roads North of Boulder Reservoir. You did and you’re back. The Enduring Runner is Back!