1 week out

This time next week I will be settling in for a movie before having my midnight supper on Boston Marathon eve. I have no desire to cut my mileage back but know that I should. This morning, Ruth Anne was making waffles when I left the house so I cut my run to 7 to get some while they were still hot. I guess I'll make my Mon/Wed/Fri runs 7 this week instead on the usual 10.

I'm finding myself already looking beyond Boston. I'm not going for 3 hours because I have plateaued at a maximum sustainable pace of about 7 min/mile. I need at least a 6:52 pace to break 3 hours. I've started thinking about how to find those 8-10 seconds per mile before my next marathon without inviting the kinds of injuries that sideline runners (including me) for extended periods. I made my last jump in speed by picking one shorter run each week and running it at my desired MGP every time until it was easy. At the time that was my 5 mile Monday run and I was aiming for 7:15 pace to break 3:10. My Monday runs are now 10 miles and I plan to try running a 6:45 pace for 8 of those miles every Monday after a couple weeks of recovery. I was realizing today that I never got my core work incorporated into my routine this time. That could be a possible source of a few seconds per mile too. Another aspect that I plan to revisit after Boston is my race nutrition/hydration. I have trained myself to run the distance without eating or drinking. Can I find a way to introduce some hydration and nutrition into my running again without the GI distress I was experiencing 2 years ago? I can't help but think that some added energy late in the race would help me hold the faster pace longer. So, I basically have plan A and plan B for my post Boston training. If Ruth Anne and I make the St. George lottery then I will take two weeks off running, start a core workout routine and pick up the high mileage training where I'm leaving off adding a fast day during the base phase. If we don't make St. George then we will be aiming at a November marathon. In that case, in addition to adding core work and a fast day, I am going to drop my mileage back to half and start a base building phase adding hydration and nutrition intake from the beginning. There must be something out there I can eat during a race that won't create hell with my stomach.