Training Notes: Milo Marathon

6 months of marathon training.
first three for short distance speed.
next three for long distance endurance.
in a week's time, the marathon gun will finally be fired after 6 tiring months of marathon training.

training

but before that..
it's time for me to look back and reminisce how difficult, lazy, testing, painful, happy, monotonous, crazy, joyful, relaxing and stomach-turning the 6 months of training was.

difficult. stomach-turning. crazy. all feelings relate to interval training dedicated to speed improvements.
numbers don't lie. the interval runs were pretty demanding. and fruitful at the same time.
i got to race 5k under 20 minutes. I've won 5k and 10k races I never thought was possible.
fruits of victory taste sweet but it was a product of long period of difficult interval runs.
i believe speed training is one of my key running strengths.

then came the slower, longer, painful and monotonous long-distance training runs.
i got to log 50-77 kilometers of mileage a week.
i never really got to my groove with 15k races and beyond.
long distance running has been the reason of my running injuries.
i got knee problems. i got foot injuries. i suffered cramps.
i struggled.

for a 15-week endurance training for the milo marathon,
i endured the first 9 happily. the long distance runs were both relaxing and joyful.
i felt the runner's high often.. running and singing at the same time.
happily running on early sunday mornings and being proud of what i'm doing for my fitness.
this is who i am. this is what i do. i am a runner.

then came the first of my 31km+ long runs.
on the 9th sunday of my 15-week marathon training program, i was sidelined by severe calf cramping.
i missed the 10th week of training. (my scheduled second 31km run)
i missed the 11th and just rested the cramping calf muscles. (and my first 35km long run)
i also badly missed the 12th. (my repeat 35km long run)

i almost should have missed the 34th milo marathon eliminations.
3 weeks of absence on the road hurt and almost taken away my milo marathon dream.
no training in 3 weeks. worse, my calf wants no more running.

i was about to cry. bye bye milo.
but i was not about to wave the white flag of surrender.
after 3 weeks of rest, a few dose of pain relievers, massages, pain killers and salonpas..
i was back. and running.

but with only 3 weeks left before the milo marathon..
can i still recover my old running form prior to the 3-week break?

i was doubtful.. but i will have to try.

i ran an 8km easy run. then joined the independence day half marathon.
expectedly, i was out of shape. 15k race in 1:23 hours.

two sundays came and i completed a 21k and a 23k long runs respectively.
i was recovering but not nearly as fast, strong and durable as before.
my weekly mileage dipped to 23 kilometers per week the last three weeks.
a far cry from the 50-77 weekly kilometers of the first 9 weeks of my marathon training.

and on this last week prior to the milo marathon..
i only have to hope for the best.
training numbers don't lie. i am not fully prepared physically for this marathon.

mentally. this is all i ever hoped for.
i fully believe i have recovered enough..
and is healthy enough to complete my second full marathon.

with that. i say good luck to all marathoners this coming sunday.
see you all. training is almost done.
only the conquering is left undone.
let's do it.


strategy

the marathon route calls for speed. have you seen it?

(image from Nestle.com, click image for full view)

along roxas boulevard, the race course is mostly flats. i like that.
unfortunately, the buendia flyover and the edsa flyover were designated as marathon leg busters.
the two flyovers have steep ascents and descents..
and they aren't short.. they are long enough to really put a lot pressure on the legs uphill and on the knees downhill.

good news? none so far.
for the full marathon.. we will climb the flyovers a total of 10 times.
going to naia, we will have crossed the flyovers once. (current flyover climbs = 2)
there is a 10-km loop from vic sotto to naia road that must be traversed a total of 3 times.
meaning, we will cross the flyovers three more times.
that's six climbs. (current flyover climbs = 8)
and then, we will come back from metrobank, baclaran to the finish line..
again crossing the steep flyovers.
two more climbs! (grand total flyover climbs = 10)

i am glad to have trained on the hilly roads of silang and tagaytay, cavite.
but i am not so sure if i can conquer 10 steep flyover climbs in a 42-kilometer run.

good news? ok there's some.
i train on loops. so it's not gonna be a boring marathon run for me.
i used to run 16 1-km loops in velazquez park, makati city.
that's pretty boring to most runners, i know.
but running on loops, my mind and body remembers when to slow down and pace myself..
and when to speed up and meet my goal pace.

running over and over the same loop, it becomes your home already.
you know how to slow down on stairs
and how to mad rush to the kitchen to get some food.
you get all too familiar with the ups and downs and left and rights..
that you can probably go around the home with your eyes closed.

more good news..
running on loops means more marathoners to run with.
we all run on the same loop and chances are,
we will meet fellow runners going around the loop.
it's not going to be a lonely run..

and i expect the runners to converge more on the flyovers..
it's gonna be a slow, long hard climb over those flyovers
everybody's climbing together..
that'll be a great push for each other.
it's not going to be a lonely climb.

i think my strategy would be to speed up on the flat roads of baclaran and diosdado macapagal blvd..
and then start to slow down upon approaching buendia and edsa flyovers.

strategically, i have divided the marathon into 3 major segments.

1. 6 kilometers from starting line to metrobank baclaran
2. 3 10-kilometer loops from metrobank to naia to macapagal to v. sotto road
3. 6.195 kilometers from metrobank to the finish line at quirino grandstand

from the last marathon..

• i must remember not to speed up too much on the first few kilometers
• i must protect my knees on downhills and be careful not suffer from injuries
• i must not drink too much sports drinks and water
• i must not be dehydrated and suffer from heatstroke
• i must conserve my energy through pacing myself properly. walk on hydration stations if necessary
• i must give it my all on the last few kilometers of the marathon. give it all i've got and all i've trained for.

My Milo Marathon Pacing Strategy

kilometers (approximate)	marathon route segment	expected pace	expected completion time	total time
6	start to metrobank baclaran	4:50	29:00	0:29:00
10	1st loop from metrobank bacaran to naia to macapagal to sotto	4:54	49:00	1:18:00
10	2nd loop from metrobank bacaran to naia to macapagal to sotto	4:48	48:00	2:06:00
10	3rd loop from metrobank bacaran to naia to macapagal to sotto	4:48	48:00	2:54:00
6	u-turn from metrobank baclaran back to starting line	5:00	30:00	3:24:00
0.195	turn-around from starting line to quirino grandstand	5:00	01:00	3:25:00