Kelly the Culinarian: Training Tuesday: Panicking edition

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Training Tuesday: Panicking edition

I don't know where my brain has been lately, but evidently everywhere except in my head. Moving cross country/training for an Ironman/working full time+ will do that to you, I suppose. The long and short of it is I kind of put it out of my mind I'm running a marathon in less than two weeks.

Gulp.
Post-run brews
Smiling on the outside ...
The panic settled in last night when I started to think about heading to Vermont by myself to run my second marathon in two months. If you missed it, my last marathon didn't go as planned. I PRed at Circular Logic, but I fell short of my sub-four hour goal. Since then, almost every run has been a joy. I had a crappy 13 miler, but otherwise, it's been all smooth sailing. Even my solo 20-mile run in Seattle was bordering on delightful (the excellent Pacific Northwest beer I consumed at the Pine Box afterwards might be part of that).

However, I feel kind of unprepared. For Circular Logic, I ran tempos and intervals and repeats and fartleks. In the past two months, I've logged about the same miles, but focusing more on trying to enjoy the time than squeezing it for everything it's worth. I've also adding more swimming and cycling so I'm not in a total lurch when I start Ironman training in earnest. I've been doing double workouts for a while, and noticed my weight is down quite a bit from Circular Logic.
One of our double days
Napoleon loves Alyssa and
our training sessions
What I'm worried about for this race is the unknown. I'll be on my own, save for my Cabot Fit Team members who I can't wait to meet. With the travel, sleeping in a new place and eating new food (um, cheese FTW), I'm not sure how my body will react. Also, I'll be wearing untested apparel in the form of my super sweet Cabot race kit.


Finally, there's a 4-hour pace team at a 3:45 pace team. I'm debating what's the best method here: Hang with the 4-hour group for the first 20 and take off if I'm feeling it for the last 10k, or start with the 3:45 crowd and hang on for as long as I can. Choices are hard.

8 comments:

Amanda said...

Sometimes feeling less prepared is a good thing. you are less stressed. Less pounds might help too so great job! (although that's not always the answer lol).

In my opinion, I would hang with the 4:00 pace group. The 3:45 might be too fast and you could crash earlier than you would like. Good luck! You will do awesome!!

Maggie W said...

"I've logged about the same miles, but focusing more on trying to enjoy the time than squeezing it for everything it's worth."

Dude ... do more of this. Focus on this. It's supposed to be fun!

I'm with Amanda, if it were me, I would start with the slower of the two pace groups and pick it up at the end. But that's generally how I race - start conservatively and pick it up.

YOU'VE GOT THIS! Just enjoy the miles.

Candace Karu said...

You've done the work. Now your job is to rest. Get your body ready to take on the challenge. Don't let your head get in the way of what your body wants to do. You are Cabot Fit and ready to go!

Unknown said...

I agree with everyone else, I think you should start off with the 4:00 pace group and then speed up from there, maybe around mile 5 or so.

I've heard that for every minute too fast that you run the first half, you lose two minutes in the second half. So I would skip out on the 3:45 group.

Do you think if I get my own dog Napoleon will decide we can't be friends anymore?

KellytheCulinarian said...

I think Napoleon would think you're cheating on him! But he's still probably prefer you to me, easily. He is not my greatest fan unless race medals are involved.

Unknown said...

Agree with everyone else that says go with the 4:00 group and pick it up if you want later. Better to go out too slow and make it up at the end than crash and burn.

As for not doing all that speedwork, etc, I have a feeling that might actually help you in the end :-)

Katie @ Live Half Full said...

Totally agree with Maggie- have FUN! Just remember where you were where you started and where you are today. What would pre-running Kelly think? She would be fu*&ing amazed.

Zenaida Arroyo said...

Good luck! And yes stick with the 4:00 group.