Week Eight of 9 Weeks To Milo

Started tapering already for the Milo marathon this Sunday. 


WOOHOO!! HERE WE GO!!!

 
I had visualized my marathon finish a few times already. Each time I dream of it, I always want to raise my hand in triumph as the tears fall down my face. It is definitely going to be the sweetest victory of my running career so far if ever I qualify this Sunday. All those runs this year, all the early morning Sunday alarm, all those prayers and all those hard training.. It is not easy to be a marathoner.. but it is definitely a very exciting and fulfilling way of life.
 

My Full Marathon Training Schedule

Week #	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1		Easy 10k		Easy 12k			Long 25k
2		Yasso x 6		Easy 12k			Long 21k
3		Yasso x 7		Easy 15k			Long 27k
4		Yasso x 8		Easy 15k			Long 29k
5		Yasso x 9		Tempo 12k			Long 31k
6		Yasso x 10		Tempo 12k			Long 35k
7		Yasso x 6		Tempo 14k			Long 25k
8		Yasso x5		Tempo 14k			Rexona 21k
9		Tempo 10k		Tempo 8k			Marathon

Week #7 started on two alarming runs. After completing my Yasso x 10 the previous week (Week #6), I must have taken the week lightly feeling over confident. The Tuesday Yasso x 6 was cut short. Why? I over sped the first two laps at 3:00mins (per 800 meters). Then I quit. Yes, I did.

I missed my 35Km run and then I quit on the Yasso x 6 on Tuesday. Then, I also quit on my 14Km Tempo run. I was supposed to run 10Km under 4:20min/km pace after a 2-Km warm up. But after 3Km in 4:08 pace (again a case of overspeeding), I stopped and failed to finish the scheduled 10Km Tempo Run. I just ran easy and completed 15Km.

That's three consecutive lack luster runs if you're counting. I told Nerissa of my situation, and she only got worried as I was. I really don't know what went wrong with me that week. I told her I failed to complete my Yasso, but I'm still OK. I also told her I did not complete my Tempo and that's not good with a little less than three weeks to go. If I can't complete 10, what is my chance of completing 42?

I listed a few things to try and stop this impending disaster before it's too late.

• I need rest. After completing the Yasso x 10, I definitely needed a few days to rest and recover. But I did not. I followed it up with a 12K Tempo and my body must have turned the switch off. The Sunday rains must have helped me to rest a bit. But still, it seems obvious that I needed more recovery days to loosen up.
• Over confidence. After completing my Yasso x 10 and registering a 10-lap low of 3:17 minutes (and therefore accomplishing a predicted-marathon finish time of 3:17 hours), I felt I have already completed the whole 9-week training course. The miscues and failures on Week #7 brought my feet back on the ground and shouted right on my eardrums "Hey fool, you ain't run the marathon yet. You ain't finished and haven't qualified yet.. What's that confidence for?.. Keep running your ass!!!"
• Long training schedule is not tailored for my impatient, race-loving attitude. Give me 5 training weeks and I am ready to sweat it out on race day. Give me 9 weeks and I get bored. Now I appreciate why some marathon schedules allow for half marathon and shorter races incorporated on the training. For some people, especially the less patient ones, too long a schedule sows seeds of boredom. And when you get bored, you lose that drive to train hard. You lose that focus to keep your eyes and mind on the target goals.

Thankfully for me, the troubles of my 7th week brought back the hunger to prove myself and to keep on training hard for my marathon goals.

I have finished my 35Km Sunday long run and then the Yasso x 5 on Week #8. I was also able to finish my 14Km Tempo within my marathon race strategy (1oKm Tempo in 43:08 minutes). I have completed most of the hard work, now I am just waiting for the day we can all put the work into action. I am hungry to qualify. I am ready to execute the battle plan. All things are now falling into place quite nicely.

 
WEEK #8 RECAP

Yasso x 5, 10 KM, 0:55:16 hours
9PM Tuesday, July 19
Velazquez Park, Makati

It was raining all over the Metro that Tuesday night. I stayed at my room for a few hours praying for a runnable weather. By 830pm, the sky stopped showering rains and I got my chance to stay fit and fast running a Yasso x 5. I ran relaxed and just focusing on finishing each and every lap of the way -- 3:11, 3:12, 3:09, 3:08 and 3:13 minutes for each 800-meter.


Tempo 14 KM, 1:07:46 hours
8PM Thursday, July 21
Velazquez Park, Makati

Pace strategy training. After 2-Km warm up, I ran 10Km at tempo pace and then cooled down for 2 more kilometers.

My Milo Manila marathon strategy requires me to run at different paces -- 4:20, 4:25, 4:30, 5:15 and 6:00 minutes per kilometer. See table below.

For this 14Km Tempo run, I finished the 10Km in 43:08 minutes. For the coming shorter Tempo Runs (taper stage), I will just continue to run under 4:20 pace.

My Milo Marathon Race Strategy

	Kilometers		Pace (min/km)		Partial Time(mm:ss)		Total Elapsed Time(hh:mm:ss)
	10		4:20		43:20		43:20
	1		6:00		6:00		49:20
	10		4:25		44:10		1:33:30
	1		6:00		6:00		1:39:30
	10		4:30		45:00		2:24:30
	1		6:00		6:00		2:30:30
	9.195		5:15		48:15		3:18:45
	42.195						3:18:45

Rexona Run 2011 21 KM, 1:59:32 hours
5AM Sunday, July 24
SM Mall of Asia, Manila 

Part of the Tapering stage involved some pacer duties. I joined Team Alpha 1 pacers at the recently concluded Rexona Adventure Run 2011. We were divided into two groups -- 2:00 and 2:30-hour pacers. The 2:00-hour group reached the finish line in about 1:59:30 hours. 

Congratulations to all the finishers!

Up Next:
Tuesday - Tempo 10K
Thursday - Tempo 8K
Sunday - Milo 42K