PICKED A 24 WEEK MARATHON TRAINING PLAN

There's no one better to train with for a marathon than good old Jack Daniels. Well this Jack Daniels has a PhD and is considered to be the "World's Best Running Coach" according to Runner's World, and no he does not think that shots every mile are a good idea. (details of this plan can be found in the calendar at the bottom of this page)

Yes Sir, May I Have Another

Well, I've done it again. I signed up for another marathon today. In 199 days, I'll be running another 26.2. I am hoping to shave 15 minutes off of my time from just a week ago.

ILLINOIS MARATHON done

THE INAUGURAL ILLINOIS MARATHON (my first)
Chip Time - 4:00:30
First 20 miles, ran like the wind
Last 6 miles, ran into a wall

Friday - checked out the expo and talked to Bart Yasso about how I could get one of those illusive runners world t-shirts. he told me they put them in the boston goodie bags (i'm not getting one that way), but he also said they are going to start selling them in a couple of months. had a plan in my head to go out with the 3:50 group, I even meet the pacer and filled out the 3:50 pace bib. got the kids to bed and dozed off around 10.

Race Day - beautiful spring morning. sunny. 37degrees and a light wind. new $10 nike singlet from tjmaxx and a pair of worn in mizuno shorts. gloves & long sleeve t-shirt at the start (to be thrown after mile 1).

Starting Line - Found the 3:50 pace stick popping up in the crowd and kept it in sight. The gun went off and I got caught up in the moment and lost the stick. I had my 3:50 pace group bib pinned on my back and found some others who had one as well. People were yelling "Justin, are we going to stop or walk through the water stops" and "Hey Pacer Justin, are we going to hold out pace or speed up at mile 2" and I realized that these people thought I was the pacer guy (although I didn't have a pacer stick with a 3:50 slapped on it). After explaining that I was just a runner trying to get through my first marathon in 3:50 I settled into a group of 3:50ers without an offiial pacer. We looked left, right, and ahead but coulnd't find him, oh well.

M1 - 8:55 pace
M2 - 8:55
M3 - 8:44
M4 - 8:54
M5 - 8:35 I broke from my group here and sped up a bit, because I had to pee. There were only 5 of us together, but I figured I could find them later. I never found them, or the pace group, so from here on out I was basically on my own (which is bad, because I do dumb things when i'm on my own, that's why I like the idea of a pace group so much)
M6 - 8:38
M7 - 8:37
M8 - 8:36 quick pee stop at the port a pot
M9 - 8:36
M10-8:56
M11-8:43
M12-8:49
M13-8:24 I did so good up to this point then started talking with this lady and pushed my pace too hard the first of three dumb miles
M14-8:13 stupid
M15-8:28 ignorant, why did I read so much about not going out too fast, just to go out too fast?
M16-8:36
M17-8:48
M18-8:50
M19-9:09
M20-9:30 i can see the great wall of china standing before memy
M21-9:22 caught up with a guy that I ran with and talked to for the first four miles and we stuck it out together
M22-10:22 my new buddy and I walked the water stops and trudged along
M23-9:49 t
M24-10:08
M25-10:17 the 4 hour pacer guy caught up with us and gave us a little boost of energy
M26-10:30
F.22-10:01 finished on the 50 yard line of the University of Illinois football field.

So, my finish time was 4:00:30 / 9:11Pace
I think i'm going to go for a 3:45 this November in Indianapolis. The Phitz plan is looking better and better.

Go ahead and give me some attaboys, but some criticisms are deserved too.
btw-my buddy from kentucky (above, left) that I was planning on running with, ran a 3:08 and BQ'd. this was his first marathon. wow!

ILLINOIS MARATHON course map

http://www.wakeupandrun.blogspot.com

Runner Beats Computer In A 20 Mile Race

It's hard to find someone to run with in a town with so few runners, so I have been training with a computer. My Garmin 101 (the Apple IIe of running watches) has been my running partner for a while now. We have a great relationship, and despite the pressures of having to get the latest and greatest, my wristop computer does what I need it to, give me time and distance readouts though it's GPS brain. It has a setting on it called Virtual Partner. I set my goal time and distance, push go and run in an attempt to beat the computer strapped to my wrist. Instant companion.

On Saturday, at 4:28AM, I ran 20 miles for the first time and my virtual partner was by my side. I punched in 20 miles at 8:55 pace and off I went. The first three miles of the run were difficult and I was getting beat by a computer. I finally got it together and dusted my virtual partner. I had the benefit of washing down a brown rice syrup mixture with lemon lime gatoratde whereas my vitual partner had pure battery acid. In the end I was nearly a half of a mile ahead in the race against the computer. I shaved four minutes off of my goal time and I didn't have to run alone. Thank Virtual Partner.

End Result 20Miles @ 8:43Pace (2:54:20)

http://www.wakeupandrun.blogspot.com/

Run 20 Miles. i'm going to try it for the first time saturday morning.

Stupid Adductor

I think it happened Friday when I was in the pool, on the kickboard. On Friday night I noticed my groin was kind of tight and on Saturday morning before my 15M run I popped a couple of Aleve and thought, i gotta get this run in so just go for it.

The Aleve did their job during the run, but hours later they wore off and the pain was there. I took an ice bath on Sunday for 20 minutes, hoping that would help things out. My groin still hurt this morning, so I did a little online research and found out I have a torn or strained adductor. Stupid adductor. Stupid me for running 15 miles on it. I'm not going to run and I am going to rest.

At least the top of my arthritic ankle isn't giving me any problems while running despite it hurting when I have my shoes off, but that is another story.