Boston planning for an injured old guy who hasn't run in 3 months

I'm not sure I'd reach that conclusion based on the information provided in this thread, but time will tell. That's the great part about running. It is easily quantified and measured. My words mean nothing. My performance means everything.

Smoove: you are going to kick some serious a$$ in Boston .. I can't wait for the post race report. Actually I will want to watch live splits ..

Much faith in you my man, and always enjoy your posts. Always thought out. Always on point. And I always learn something. This beer is for you.

You the man, smoove! As a fellow master, I always root for the "old guy". Your recent times are astounding, and I'm certainly looking forward to reading about your progress. All the best in your training!

Thanks for the positive vibes. I'm not worried about being fit come race day as much as I am about the whims and capriciousness of the marathon distance. Race day is always a shot in the dark at the marathon distance.

Last update before Boston.

Today was the 15k I referenced in my last update. It went well - ran 50:15, which based on VDOT scales out to a 2:31 or so for the marathon with 5 weeks left. Course was generally a fast course, but there was a huge hill at the end and winds were fairly strong. On a flat course on a nice day, I like my odds of a sub 50. I split 5k/10k at 16:32/33:12, so not a lock by any means, but certainly a possibility.

Health is generally good. Definitely some issues (sciatica, perhaps an arthritic left knee, had an episode of runner's knee in my right knee), but nothing that is impacting my training or that should impact race day. While there is still time for other health issues to arise, my only real concern at this very moment is that I'm having calf cramping issues. Calf cramps caused me to stop and stretch 5 times over the last 5 miles in my last marathon, costing me 2:00-2:30 by my best guess. No cramping issues today during the race (although I felt a twinge or two during my cool down), but I've had issues in training recently. Hoping to figure that out over the next month.

Weight is finally where I intended it to be (at 145 on the average), although I wouldn't have been upset to have dropped a couple of more.

Training has gone well. Assuming I get my long run in tomorrow (not a lock), I will have averaged in the 81 mpw range the last 4 weeks, with peaks of 90 and 91. My third peak week was 85 miles. During my last 7 weeks, I was able to get in 8 of my 11 non-long run quality days. Of the three I missed, I subbed in a 20 miler for one, and ran 6 miles up and down a mountain at 7000 feet base altitude for another. Not as good as the workouts I had planned, but still quality days.

I heard from a friend of a friend that I'm the 5th seed in my age group (2 guys ran 2:21 and 2 guys ran 2:29 qualifiers) and the 16th seeded masters. So it looks like maybe this year will be faster than past years for my age group (2:32:22 was the fastest 2nd place time in my age group over the last 5 years). So top 5 is still my place goal, but there is really no room for error if everyone shows.

I'm still not sure what time I will shoot for, but will settle on that over the next few weeks. I could simply take today's time and project it out since I dealt with a huge (.7 mile long) hill today at the end of my race and that sort of mirrors the Boston course in some ways. Or I may get a bit more aggressive and assume that 3 more weeks of workouts and a taper will give me a boost over my time today as that time came right at the end of the heaviest portion of my training cycle (although my legs did feel pretty fresh today to be honest).

Next update will be to close out the thread after Boston. No matter what happens, I'm happy with the plan I put together and the effort that I made to stick to it. You never know what happens on race day, especially at the marathon distance, but I've put myself in a position such that the goals I set out when I initiated this thread are now at least in the theoretically achievable range for me with 5 weeks to go before race day if I stay healthy, don't bonk, don't cramp up, don't go out too hard, etc. No guaranties, but I've done my best.

Thanks for the updates. It really looks like you're on track and I wish you the best at Boston!

I'm really impressed with the volume and intensity of training you're able to do at 50+. You're doing the sort of mileage I was doing at my peak in my 30s, but I wasn't within 10 minutes of you in a marathon.

Good luck!

Thanks! For the record, I'm "only" 45.

Super impressive speed.

Have you ever considered taking salt tablets during a marathon? I have also suffered from calf cramps during a race, but salt tablets have helped me a lot.

Best of luck on Marathon Monday!

I took some on my last long run and they helped. I brought some with me on my last mp run last weekend, but I had trouble accesssing them in my pocket because the gels I had were in the way of the baggie I had them in.

I brought some with me to my 15k today and wrapped them in foil in pairs of 2s to make them easier to get. Didn't use them though - hard to get to that pocket at pace, but I wanted to make sure they wouldn't dissolve from sweat when wrapped in foil. They didn't.

Next mp run I will wear different shorts with different pockets and try to access them again.

Great tip - thank you.

Smoove wrote:

Thanks! For the record, I'm "only" 45.

Duly noted. Still darn fine running.

Thanks for the updates. Your posts have been interesting and useful to read. Good luck in Boston. Go kick down those pretenders!

pretzel man wrote:

Yep, top five in age group at Boston.

My apologies, you now sound like the real deal.

I will be racing also but no were near your speed.

Best of luck brother.

I won't lie - your original post made me laugh when I read it.

And I got where it was coming from. I've seen enough of your other posts to get a sense that you were just being obnoxious - running 1 mile at 8:00+ pace and shooting for an age group placing doesn't reconcile right away.

Thanks for the follow up though, I appreciate it.

Meant to write "you were not just being obnoxious."

This is an amazing thread. You have got to keep us posted on the outcome. I have to say although I did not post a reply I wondered originally if this might be a troll thread, as it was so outlandish--but you've shown us otherwise. GL in Boston and thanks for the inspiration

Thanks for the update, smoove! Glad to hear that things are coming together according to plan. I know that you have a tremendous amount of talent, but even with talent, a 50:15 15k doesn't come for free! Congratulations on gutting it out and putting in the work to get yourself to this point.

I'm looking forward to seeing you put all this momentum to work for you on April 18th! I will definitely be stalking you via that Boston Marathon tracking app!!

I've been following the Smoove journey a bit here and on the weekly Road Racing and Training thread. It's pretty damn inspiring, especially as I'm just starting a comeback from a similar plantar injury to his. And we're very close in age. Sadly, the timing of my injury is keeping me out of Boston this year. That's a bummer. As my profile name implies, that right turn up Hereford is my favorite experience in running.

Anyway... this is great stuff. Good luck in the race, Smoove!

Good luck in Boston, smoove. I don't expect to see you for very long after the gun goes off but maybe we can chat in the corral before the race. At 6-6 190 I tend to stick out in a group of marathoners.

I appreciate the well wishes from all.

I have no idea what will happen on race day, other than I will dig down and give it my best. If I crap the bed, I will still come back with an update.