Taper Madness

I'm starting to go crazy. I feel fine running less but I'm having trouble focusing on work. I just wasted an hour looking for hotel options for the Boston Marathon and I'm planning the trip for 2008. THat's a long way off. I've decided to cut back this week's training to only around 15 miles up until Sunday's race. We've been having some cool cloudy weather the last three days, perfect for running but the forecast is for clear, sunny and warm come Sunday. No change in my hamstring, it is still slightly sore. Wish me luck.

Marathon Plan & Prediction

I plan to go out 20 secs slow for miles 1 & 2 and 10 secs slow for miles 3 & 4. That totals one minute and I'll have 22 to make it up. My target split is going to be 1:37 for a 3:15. The second half of the course is tougher with the hill up Edwards at mile 22. I need to average 7:26 for a 3:15.

3:15 or better: Dream time. I'll be ecstatic
3:16-3:19: This is where I'm guessing I'll be and I'll be delighted with a sub 3:20
3:20-3:26: No shame and still a PR under my 3:27
3:27-3:30:59: Still a Boston Qualifier so I can hold my head high.
3:30 or over: Oh well, there's always tomorrow, at least I know I've got the legs to run faster after my 10k and half marathon PR's.

Time is a flying

I can't believe a month has passed since my last post. I'm only 1 week from my next marathon. Two weeks ago I set a personal - masters PR in the Paramount 10k with a 39:57. I was hoping to break 41:00 and my previous PR of 41:17 and I surprised myself. Three days later I slightly tweaked my right hamstring during a track workout. I was going slower than the prescribed workout but apparently too fast to avoid the injury. Since then I've been doing hamstring curls every other day at the gym. Past experience has shown me that weights usually fix the problem but it usuually takes 3 to 4 weeks.