Marathon blues

Bostonblues wrote:

Anyone been towards the end of a marathon cycle and just not "feeling it"? Seems like I've had to drag myself out the door lately for runs not sure if it's the cold temps, an injury that made me ease up for 2 weeks, the long lonely road this winter or what... Supposed to be running Boston in a little over a month and could careless. This was supposed to be my dream race.

I'm going to go against the "keep logging miles" crowd and recommend at least a spontaneous 3 day break to make you anxious to run again.

I'd also recommend an inventory of your winter running gear. With the right attire/materials, a long run at 15F should feel like June and 60F inside your clothes.

Running clothes that don't resist the wind or precipitation and cannot dissipate sweat well will make winter running a bore and perhaps turn Mr. Johnson into a popsicle.

Bostonblues wrote:

Anyone been towards the end of a marathon cycle and just not "feeling it"? Seems like I've had to drag myself out the door lately for runs not sure if it's the cold temps, an injury that made me ease up for 2 weeks, the long lonely road this winter or what... Supposed to be running Boston in a little over a month and could careless. This was supposed to be my dream race.

You've been posting constantly for the last 6 months about how you don't care about running anymore. Just quit already and stop bothering us.

Actually the Blues are in St. Louis, you may be thinking of the bruins.

Just run.

LGB

Pretzel Man wrote:

That's a great training run JungleRoy ,I am shooting for 2 more 22's. Is 59 your age ?

Birth year is 59. Age is 57. I ran 3:17:35 last year at Boston, 14 months after a bad knee injury, then 3:04:41 in Marquette, MI last September. Hoping for about 3:09 at Boston, because I live in a snowy area and can't expect to match my summer times.

2 more long runs sounds about right. If I had time on weekdays I'd go long every 10 or 11 days, but with work I tend to cram most of my miles into the weekends. I did run 10 miles in 70:44 indoors last Wednesday night, a bit too hard, almost racing effort the last few miles, but mostly I just jog and lift weights and then go long on the weekend. Too much information, I know.

Good luck with your next depletion run.

Ray

it's low t from too much running!!

take break and get your t back nigga!!!

Bostonblues wrote:

Ok thanks for all the help everyone. So I'm curious how are the Newton hills after 16 miles? Are they really that bad? How far if any do you run them off goal pace?

I've done Boston once and when I was running up Heartbreak Hill, I wasn't actually sure if I was running on a hill or not; I had studied the course and we had turned at the fire station so I assumed we must be on Heartbreak Hill. I had to ask other runners and finally a spectator to find out this was indeed the infamous hill. So no, the Newton hills are nothing to write home about.

Near the end of the race, before turning right on Hereford, you have a small down and uphill due to running under a road and THAT sucked, but at least it was short.

Sounds like a nutrient deficiency. Check ferritin, good indicator of stored iron. Ideal levels should be 40-110 for optimal mitochondrial functioning. Also good to check Vitamin D and hormone levels. Overtraining maybe? Eating enough?

Canada Girl wrote:

I've done Boston once and when I was running up Heartbreak Hill, I wasn't actually sure if I was running on a hill or not; I had studied the course and we had turned at the fire station so I assumed we must be on Heartbreak Hill. I had to ask other runners and finally a spectator to find out this was indeed the infamous hill. So no, the Newton hills are nothing to write home about.

That was my exact experience the first time I ran Boston. But I was running easily, just to enjoy the race. My only time goal was to qualify again for the next year (2:50 at the time). Actually, it was kind of a relief to change up my stride for a while at that point in the race.

I ran the BQ that day, but it was seventeen years later when I finally ran it a second time. After a winter with little training, my only goal was to finish. Still, the hills were barely noticeable. It wasn't until the ugly part of the course at 22 that I had to resort to the dreaded "walk-run-walk" routine for the final four miles.

The crowds cheered every time I started running again, which was kind of embarrassing.

Hmmm ... now I am wondering how the hills would feel if I ever actually raced the course ... Anyway, good luck to the OP. Your taper will reinvigorate you!