Welcome back to my weekly publication and accounting of my trials, tribulations and training for my next race! The Sunset Beach Half Marathon! I’ve allocated myself 12-weeks of training in preparation for this April 27th race on the southernmost beach of North Carolina. I’m excited for this flat and fast half-marathon with the only elevation coming from the bridge crossing the intra-coastal waterway.
This race has been designated as a “Spring Featured Race” for my run club and it looks like we’ll be getting a decent size group of runners making it to the race. Expectations are high and I’ve placed an almost impossible goal of 1:45 for this race. That would require me to average an 8’00” pace for 13.1 miles. It does seem almost impossible.
My only running goals this year are to set all new PR’s on COROS! No self-imposed pressure or anything, but the reason behind it is because I set ALL my PR’s on COROS in 2023. I’d like to improve even more and set new ones!
Only the Half Marathon and Marathon are lifetime PR’s. All other distances I’ve ran much faster back in my 20’s while I was a Paratrooper. However, after the age of 40 I consider all PR’s to be reset and will be reset every decade until I die!
Before I digging into this first week of SSB Half Training, let’s take a quick lookback at January.
January 2024
I made a choice to tackle January head on and change things up. I did not want to repeat my failures of 2023, specifically not doing much as it pertains to running or strength training. So with 2024, I started a strength training regime, re-joined my local YMCA and started squatting again. I also set a goal to run 100-miles in the month.
I ran, lifted or both for 28 days of 31. I only took three rest days the entire month. It feels good to be strength training again.
Strong Runners are Strong and being Strong is Never Wrong!
It was an exciting month of running as most of my runs were with the club and we did back to back races in one weekend. My lifting was consistent and it felt good to be back at the YMCA after a couple year hiatus.
Overall, January was a good month for consistency, strength training and logging 100-miles of running. Despite all of that, I actually gained 3lbs. I’m not too worried about it as I feel stronger and my running is staying consistent.
Now let’s get on with it! Half Marathon Training!
My “A” goal for this race is to complete it in 1hr 45minutes (8’00” pace). My “B” Goal is to beat my Half Marathon PR of 1:57:52, so anything at 1:56 or faster (8’50” pace) and a “C” goal of 1:59 (9’04”). My “A” goal is pretty damn mental, although I feel it’s within reach given the right amount of training and the proper alignment of conditions on race day.
I’ve been running with my COROS Pace 2 watch since August 1st, 2022 and I’ve enjoyed all of the data analytics. Especially the “Race Predictor”. So far it’s been pretty damn accurate, so for this training cycle I decided to track how my training affects the “race predictor” and then what my actual results are on April 27th.
Saturday: 2.3.2024 (Day 1 of 84): Iron in the Fire!
I planned it this way. To start all of my weeks with a weekend long run. I’m starting this training cycle with a 6-mile long run and will end it with a 13.1mile race. They are good book-ends for this adventure.
For the weeks leading up to the start of this 12-week adventure I fully intended on getting it going on a Saturday. Then life happened. The days leading up to start things got busy and I had a lot of iron in the fire to handle. Priorities were set and I was unsure how or when I’d get my long-run in on a Saturday. Thankfully my training only required a 6-mile run at a 9’36”-10’06” pace.
With a full day of honey-do tasks, house maintenance and more to get done, I was thinking I’d just get it done in the dark at the end of the day. That’s when Robert texted me and asked if I was interested in getting in a long run on Sunday.
And just like that, the run was moved to Sunday.
Sunday: 2.4.2024 (Day 2 of 84): Kicking off the training with a Long Run.
The morning was cool, crisp and just below freezing. Truly great conditions for a long run through town. I met up with Robert and after some stretching and figuring out a route, we step off for 6.0 miles with a goal pace of 9’36” - 10’06”.
I’ve come to believe that I have Exercise-Induced Asthma. Whenever I’m pushing myself hard I start to wheeze which increases in intensity and a tight chest. The cool air of the morning was causing me to have a tight chest and my breathing was elevated from the start. I believe this is due to the cold air causing my airways to constrict until I was warmed up and the breathing became normal.
The wheezing and tightness in chest have been common in my life for the last 5 years at least. I’ve adapted to it, normalized the wheezing and just accepted it as being a symptom of carrying extra weight around. I’m starting this training cycle at 230lbs! Who the hell runs 100-miles in a month at 230lbs? This guy.
Regardless of how I’ve normalized this in my mind, the wheezing is prominent and is most likely hindering me from reaching my full potential with running. For those reasons I’ve scheduled an appointment with my Doctor to see if we can get it sorted.
Overall the run was easy and conversational the entire time and at the end of the run we ran into our friend Daniela who was just starting.
Besides the increased heart rate and tight chest, I couldn’t have asked for a better morning to start this training cycle. I’ve got a lot of hope that I can achieve my goal of a 1:45 Half Marathon.
6.02 Miles | Avg Pace: 9’49” Avg HR: 143 | Best Mile: 9’47” | Feeling tight.
Monday: 2.5.2024 (Day 3 of 84): Everything Changed.
Just like that, everything changed. I developed a pretty bad head cold on Sunday afternoon and by Sunday evening I was taking all the meds and quickly working my way through an entire box of tissues. This downright SUCKS.
Today has to be a rest day. My head is in a constant state of increasing pressure with a headache that is not responding to anything that I do. Not medicine, not electrolytes, not water or BC powder. It’s as consistent as the the Oklahoma wind and just as shitty.
Tuesday: 2.6.2024 (Day 4 of 84): Back on the Track at 70%
After a full day of meds and fluids I was feeling better Monday night and felt that getting on the track early Tuesday morning was absolutely possible. I woke up feeling about 80% recovered and on the drive to the track I was feeling optimistic.
Unfortunately, the temps that morning were hovering just below freezing at 29F with a slight wind. The wind was just enough to cut through your clothes and piss you off. It wasn’t a prevailing wind that was a constant affront to your emotions, no this was a cutting wind that only hit on the back 300m with a vicious head-wind that made you grit your teeth and beard down.
Running on a marked, true 400m track really helps with understanding your cadence, posture, mechanics and effort. The training plan consists of 400m to 800m efforts with a short break of 60seconds to 90seconds between. We continue these efforts of varying “Perceived Rates of Exertion” until we complete 12-laps on the morning. The goal here is to understand what my race-pace mechanics feel like, then to look back and see what the data reveals as far as cadence, stride length and heart rate. I can then use the physical feeling of that pace with the measured metrics to replicate that performance during the rest of my weekly runs.
After just a few laps it was clear that I was not 80% recovered but was closer to 70% or less. My runs were lacking in all aspects, so I just sucked it up and get in my laps as best as I could.
Thankfully I had a few friends show up, I really did NOT want to do this workout solo on the track. I’m thankful for that!
12-Laps (lane 4) | Avg Pace: 9’220” Avg HR: 130 | Best Lap: 7’18” | Feeling Unwell.
Wednesday: 2.7.2024 (Day 5 of 84): Two-A-Day: Lift & Run
After another full day of meds and fluids on Tuesday, I was feeling much better on Wednesday morning and decided to make my way to the YMCA for an early morning weight session before my evening run with the club. After the intense month of January, these two-a-days are becoming a normal part of my day.
That’s one main difference between this build-up as compared to all previous ones. I’m actually conducting some strength training, more specifically working on leg strength with squats, lunges and more while continuing to build upper body strength with pullups and more.
With more fluids and a morning workout complete, I was feeling 100% better come Wednesday evening. The workout called for a 1-mile warmup followed by 2-miles at pace then another 1-mile cool down. Luckily I had Rob, Jon and Carlos who were all willing to accomplish this with me. Running with friends is better, partly because they keep you accountable.
The first mile was completed in 10’45” then we started our 2-miles of effort that resulted in an average pace of 8’49”. After 2-miles of effort we backed it down for a recovery mile that brought out an 11’22” pace.
It’s on runs like these that I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew with a goal pace of 8’00” for my Sunset Beach Half Marathon!!! I know it’s only Week 1, but how am I going to reduce my pace by 50 seconds for an additional 11 miles!? It’s intimidating for sure, but not outside the realm of possibility in my mind.
4.20 Miles | Avg Pace: 10’05” Avg HR: 149 | Best Mile: 8’49” | Feeling a little better.
Thursday: 2.8.2024 (Day 6 of 84): 5 Mile Run with a PR
My normal running night with the club is on Wednesdays, so being able to make it on a Thursday is a blessing. Usually when I make these runs I’m one of the last runners to start and usually take it very easy on this challenging 5-mile course. Sometimes I run with a new-to-the-club runner or just decide to keep my heart rate down over the course. I really can’t remember the last time I pushed hard on this course.
I was feeling much better and decided to step it out on tonight’s run. I knew I wasn’t ready to go for that Sub 40-minute goal, but I was going to push hard and not take it easy.
Once again I was the last runner to start. This is my own doing as I step out onto the road and stop traffic to allow the larger group to cross Main St. safely. Starting last this evening gave me motivation to pass as many people as I could. I was looking for kills or as my friend Rob says “I’m here to take souls”.
I stepped it out and started pushing hard. My goal wasn’t to go all-out on this 5-miler but to push hard into the state of being uncomfortable, then get comfortable being uncomfortable.
The hills were challenging and I could feel my pace slowing as I progressed up the small inclines we call hills around here. Once at the top I would let gravity due it’s job on this 228lb frame and simply turn my feet over as fast as possible in hopes for a fast downhill acceleration. I think it worked.
I didn’t make enter the realm into puking, but my heart rate was up and running was difficult!
During the run I found myself within proximity of two fellow runners, Brian who was in front of me, well within eyesight and Luis who was behind me but close enough I could hear his footsteps.
From miles 2 to 5, my only goals were to catch Brian and not be caught by Luis.
Failure. Total and complete failure.
The pursuit of Brian was thwarted around mile 2.5 when I saw him step it out just a little on a downhill section and I just couldn’t catch up. In my attempt to shorten the distance between us, I heard Luis gaining ground on me. Eventually Luis passed me and my goals shifted to keeping him within eyesight until the finish.
Wish a shift in goals, I did keep Luis within eyesight and finished this run with an overall average of 8’59”. At this point in my life, that’s a pretty good 5-mile run. Overlay that on the course of my life and an 8’59” pace is rather slow and disgusting.
Regardless, I found myself satisfied with the time and proud that I pushed myself into being uncomfortable and settled into that zone for the duration of the run.
5.02 Miles | Avg Pace: 8’59” Avg HR: 153 | Best Mile: 8’16” | Feeling out of breath.
Friday: 2.9.2024 (Day 7 of 84): Fast Track Friday
What a difference a few days can make! At the beginning of the week I was feeling like complete shit and wasn’t prepared for running. Monday was a zero day and it wasn’t until Thursday that I was really feeling back to normal. So when Friday morning rolled around I was excited to get back on the track for a redemption run from that piss poor performance on Tuesday.
It was great to be joined by Mike and first-timer out Stacey who is an incredible athlete after years of service to her country in the Air Force. The three of us tackled the 12-laps with ferocity and the times on the laps were indicative of the effort being laid out.
12-Laps (lane 4) | Avg Pace: 8’46” Avg HR: 132 | Best Lap: 6’29” | Feeling Better!
Just Keep Showing Up.
This first week of this Half Marathon training concluded with an accumulation of 21.57 miles of running and a few strength training sessions. Overall I feel it was a good start to the build-up despite the head-cold that took me out on Monday.
While there were no crazy stories this week or exceptional tales of running, the real take away this first week is the effects of discipline of consistency. Just keep showing up and doing the work, even if that work is not your best performance, just keep going.