33 days till Marathon

33 days left till I run my first marathon - PEI Marathon, I'm getting really excited. My training has been following the course it should be and I've managed to get my avg km pace under 6 mins mostly running 5:35 avg km, which is ideal as Dad and I just went over the race strategy for the marathon and we want to make sure that we reach our target of under 4:15, as that is what Dad needs to qualify for the Boston Marathon. We used a really cool tool called a Marathon Pace Calculator found at www.marathonguys.com. It allowed us to punch in difference finish times and would give us our avg pace and the time to be at for each km. Great tool!
Today was a great day, I felt good. Ran out to beach and back today. Just a little 10km run, filled my lungs with the morning air and sailed through each km. My time wasn't as good as my time at Beauchamp Chiropractic Wellness Run last Sunday, I ended up running with a seasoned marathoner and was pushed a little bit harder than normal and did the run in 51mins and change. At least I know I'm capable of more, now it's just to be able to push myself during my training runs.
Today's Stats: 6.2 miles, 9.97km in 55:37, avg pace 5:35/km, avg speed 10.8 km/h burned 895 cal

Weather: WED SEPT 15, 2010 8:00am		Temp 8		Wind	W 11	Humidity 100

Listened to: Ester and Jerry Hicks - The Astonishing Power of Emotions, my run is my daily meditation time, it's great to add a channeled audio to the mix!

Day 68 - A Personal Best

So again without even really trying, I beat my time today. I had an all time personal best at an avg pace of 5:46 /km, now if you do the math, that would convert to a Marathon Time of 3:48:59...wow, I could actually finish around the 4 hours mark!! But that's keeping the same pace throughout the whole 42 kms. NOT! Time will tell over the next few weeks of training if I'll be able to keep up to my 67 year old dad out on the marathon trail. I have a strong feeling that my mind will try and take over and try and convince me to quiet but I know I'll have my dad for inspiration and encouragement. The goal is to make sure we finish the marathon in 4:15:59 so Dad will qualify for Boston in 2011. As far as I can tell from looking at the race results from the last 5 years, there is no one in their 60's let alone age 67 who has ever run the PEI Marathon. That will be interesting!!

As for women in my age catagory,

In 2009 women in my age group finished the following:
1st - 2:53:22
2nd - 3:30:55
3rd - 3:43:59

I did the Boston Marathon Predictor at http://www.asksasha.com/boston-marathon-qualifying-time.php

How Much Speed Do I Need To Hit a Boston Qualifying Time?

Your Age:

Your Gender: Please Select M F

I run: miles a week

Results: The slowest you can run and still qualify for the Boston Marathon is 3:40:59. This is a 8:25 per mile pace. If you train at 35 miles per week, you need to run a 5 K in 21:51 which is 7:02 per mile pace.

I'm sure my time will continue to improve the biggest thing as Dad is always reminding me, it not to get hurt. To so lots of stretching and drink lots of water etc. etc.

FRI August 6, 2010 10:00am

Temp 18

Wind

W 26

Humidity 60

Today's Stats: 5 miles, 8.06 km in 46:27, avg pace 5:46 /km, avg speed 10,4 km/h burned 695 cal
Listened to: 101 Power Thoughts by Louise Hay (Affirmations)

Day 22 - Wedgie

So I'm glad I have all these small 3 mile runs to test out equipment, cause let me tell you. I don't think I could of gone another mile wearing the shorts I wore this morning!! Normally when I run I wear spandex shorts, I find they are comfy, cover my thighs, make for less wind resistance and never ride up! I should of known better but all my spandex shorts were in the wash so I grabbed a pair of what I would call more traditional running shorts, low cut shorts that matched one of my running tops. Big mistake, the shorts kept riding up in between my legs and my thighs were sticking together - it was so uncomfortable not to mention I probably looked like a retard picking my shorts out of my crotch every 30 feet. So the moral of this running lesson is go buy more spandex running shorts so that I never have to go running with out them again.
Now that I think of it, I'm pretty picky when it comes to what I wear running. I hate t-shirts, I hate anything on my arms restricting my movement back and forth! I always wear a tank top and if it's cold I'll put a light running coat over that but that's about it. My socks have to fit just right in my running shoes or I have to take them off and put my shoe back on again or get another pair of socks. I don't like wearing hats but I do where a visor if I have to. I have a sweatband I wear if it's really hot out cause I don't like the sweat in my eyes.
Oh my, I never realized how many things you have to take into consideration to have a good run.
All though I just thought 'I'll run a marathon!' why not, can't be that hard...it's week four I'm having lots of fun and love experiencing a new adventure each day, lots more to learn I'm sure.
Today's stats: 3 miles, 4.83km in 30:26, avg pace 6:18/km burned 428 cal, avg heart rate 161 bpm

Day 18 - Where did that come from?

Today was a normal day, didn't feel good or bad just knew I had to go do my run quickly and get home so Dan could take the girls to school! Today is Isabelle's birthday so she was excited to go to school. I felt pretty good today on my run, really pushed a little to hard in a few areas thinking if I could just push through the pain, soon I'd feel ok again. During my run, I noticed alot more about the elevation. Today it seemed as though I was constantly going up a hill, I could feel every change in elevation. I found this weird as I had never noticed it in that light before. I'm guessing it was more apparent because I had increase my speed slightly and was noticing any little challenges I came across. Kind of like when I got chased by a barking poodle this morning on the trail. Most days my runs are calm and uneventful. If I do run into people walking on the trail with their dogs they have been very nice and never really bother me. The dogs are always suppose to be on a leash but no one ever walk their dog on a leash because it's their fun time to be outside. I don't mind as I love dogs and totally understand where they are coming from. However this morning the dog owner was walking with a cane and couldn't keep her dog in check so it ended up following me down the trail barking at my ankles. The dog tiered early and returned to it's owner.
After the dog incident, I noticed another a change in my performance. I was tiered and off my pace. I guess I had exerted much energy trying not to step on the dog which then slowed me down. I did get back on track after a few 100 feet but those elevations were coming out of no where again!
I'm guessing this is what I will be feeling like when we hit the last 6 km of the marathon. Dad is telling me that it's all a mind game by that point in the race and your legs and lungs just want to give up and you just need to keep telling yourself you are almost there.
Well, between you and me...I've been giving myself that speech every day out on my run, 'ok, your at 1mile, only 3 more to go, ok half way done, the worst is over yet, really only 1 mile left and your almost back home...' does anyone else talk to themselves like this when they are running. Or am I the only one   :)
Oh ya, today I ran 4.20 miles, 6.81km in 38:24 avg pace 5:38/km, burned 574 cal and tracked my heart rate today for the first time, the avg heart rate was 165 bpm.
Two easy days comin' up...oh how I long for the 3mile runs  :)

Day 16 - no sleep and I still ran

For all you ladies out there that have a snoring husbands, your not alone. I think I must of gotten a total of 2 hours sleep last night. And of course all I could think about was my run in the morning being dead tiered. I did however pro vale and actually I surprised myself and improved my time again this morning. I ran 4:01miles, 6.45 km in 39:30, avg pace 6:08/km and burned 552 cal. I love beating my time to get it under the next even number. I know I will only get stronger and improve my time and for fun I decided to check out qualifying time for the Boston Marathon as these are the times to strive for. See below:

Age	Men	Women
18-34	3:10	3:40
35-39	3:15	3:45
40-44	3:20	3:50
45-49	3:30	4:00
50-54	3:35	4:05
55-59	3:45	4:15
60-64	4:00	4:30
65-69	4:15	4:45
70-74	4:30	5:00
75-79	4:45	5:15
80+	5:00	5:30

So looking at these times I know that being 31 years old I would have to run a marathon in 3hrs and 40mins. So then I wanted to know what pace I have to run at and compare it to what I'm running now. I found this great calculater that you can input your age and # of miles you are running a week and it will tell you the pace you will need to run at. Needless to say I have a ways to go.

How Much Speed Do I Need To Hit a Boston Qualifying Time?

Your Age:

Your Gender: Please Select M F

I run: miles a week

The slowest you can run and still qualify for the Boston Marathon is 3:40:59. This is a 8:25 per mile pace. If you train at 27 miles per week, you need to run a 5 K in 21:21 which is 6:52 per mile pace.


My #1 goal in training for this marathon is to run it and complete it with my Dad. Then goal #2 would be run it in under 4:15 so Dad can qualify for Boston one more time. I think that will be the ideal situation.

Anyway, I"m having fun learning about this sport of running that I thought I knew so much about. Like any sport should it be skiing, running or golf...we always have more to learn.