| Author |
Topic: Iron Horse HM - A lesson learned |
UncleSteve57
Cool Runner |
 posted Jun-04-2007 08:29 AM
   
One of the basic rules of road racing is "Have a clear, realistic goal." Yesterday I went into the Iron Horse HM with two goals percolating in my brain, one of them quite unrealistic for me at this time. And I learned the hard way why the rule exists.May was a very good month for me: 3 PRs on 3 consecutive weekends at 3 different distances. First at 10K, then 5K, then the Vermont City marathon. I was hoping to complete 'the cycle' with a PR for the HM in the Iron Horse in Simsbury, CT. My current PR is 2:09:30, but I felt I was in shape to better that. Also looming in my addled brain, however, was the dream of running my first sub 2 half. After all, at VCM the previous weekend I had cut my marathon PR by 36 minutes...surely I could cut just 10 minutes from my HM PR. The flaw here, of course, is in the math; I wasn't comparing apples to apples. My previous marathon PR averaged to 12 minute miles; the HM PR averaged to 9:53. To improve on the marathon pace was 'relatively' easy. To improve on the HM pace was much tougher, but doable. To consider lowering it to 9:10 per mile for a sub 2 was simply irrational for me right now, especially just a week after VCM. So as I waited for the starting gun, I had two goals competing in my head: the PR and the sub 2. Guess which one I chased. My splits:
1 9:22
2 9:21
3 9:06
4 9:10
5 9:13
6 9:56
7 9:46
8 10:18
9 10:18
10 10:36
11 10:21
12 11:15
13 10:14 Final time: 2:12:55 10:09/mile Well, lesson learned. And that's more important than a PR. Steve
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tselbs
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-04-2007 08:57 AM
UncleSteve, you ran a nice half even though it wasn't what you wanted. You've sure had a nice 3 weeks racing. I wouldn't be suprised if that took a lot out of you. That said, you did learn something. Goals are important, but they need to be realistic or you set yourself up for disappointment. With a little more training and with a rested body, you'll get that half PR. Thanks for posting.TomS ------------------
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Fortunate One
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-04-2007 03:36 PM
"Oh that a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a Heaven for?"
-Robert Browning
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wildchild
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-04-2007 03:54 PM
One thing I've learned from not skiing as well as I'd like: always blame the conditions or the equipment. Poor performance is never due to lack of skill or training!  Your race was only a week after the marathon, plus you didn't mention other factors like hills, wind, or warm temperatures that could have slowed you down as well!Seriously, though, it sounds like you did well; you tried, and you learned something. And you're trying to share what you learned with the rest of us, although some of us like to learn for ourselves the hard way!
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Spareribs
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-04-2007 04:37 PM
Quite a bold attempt at a PR, given all that racing in May. I thought after reading your RR that that was the obstacle, not that your PR in the half had been much faster in min/mile. I hope you recover now, and make the attempt again. 3 races in a month, including a marathon is a lot of tough running. Spareribs
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ksrunr
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-04-2007 05:31 PM
Ditto what ribs said. I would have said it but he says it so much better.  Too many races too close together is a recipe for eventual disaster.ksrunr
king of disaster
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Ileneforward
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-04-2007 07:40 PM
It is actually an excellent job considering you just ran a marathon the weekend before. What kind of crazy person races a half marathon only a week after a marathon? Sheesh! 
Congratulations on getting so close to your PR and staying uninjured. Oh and relearning a lesson too.
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SkipAZ
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-04-2007 08:16 PM
Hey Steve - EVERY race is a learning experience with good and bad in each. To come that close to your PR after a pretty intense month of racing is a darn fine performance. Pick another half a little later in the season and I think that sub 2 could be yours. Good luck!Skip
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Canfit
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-04-2007 09:43 PM
I can't imagine 'racing' a HM only a week after a marathon. You've obviously made great progress recently. Just give yourself a little recovery time and I'm confident your sub-2 will be there. Good luck ...and keep running!
PJ
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Tetsujin30
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-04-2007 09:45 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Ileneforward:
What kind of crazy person races a half marathon only a week after a marathon? Sheesh!
You matched one of the goddesses (were there any hills though in the half too?), . . . and you still have four weeks to catch up to Robin's 4PR's in 7 weeks. Doesn't matter though as you'll remember the half long after the PR's have become just numbers, if that.
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melistic
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-04-2007 10:00 PM
You sucked me in again. You Boomer's are cool.
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RunBobaluRun
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-04-2007 10:11 PM
Same thing happened to me in 2005. We live and we learn. Still, you ran tough and you tried hard. So I say congradulations to you for pushing through when others may have quit.Bob ------------------
We want great men who, when fortune frowns, will not be discouraged.
~Colonel Henry Knox
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UncleSteve57
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-05-2007 07:32 AM
Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm sure you are all quite correct in that 4 races in 4 weeks, especially a HM following VCM, was asking alot from this old bod.  So this week is a pure recovery week...maybe 15 very easy miles total. But then I'll start setting my sights on Hartford in October. Steve
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choover
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-06-2007 10:33 AM
You are a busy guy.Looking at your splits, you only had one or two tough miles out of 13 which cost you a little time. If you had been more rested going into this you would've PR'd for sure. Congrats on a great month of running! ------------------
choover
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smpankowski
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-07-2007 07:14 AM
Steve, Math on the fly. Wow. The RR is great. Our bodies re only human. Your numbers are still good. Thanks for the RR
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