Sunday, April 12, 2009

Fall Race Plans



Yesterday, I took the first steps of inking out my fall race season. It is ridiculous that one needs to do this so early, but it's even more ridiculous that some of these race (most notably the Army Ten Miler) are already sold out...so you almost HAVE to do it. Though part of me dislikes planning races so far in advance, I do like to know what I am training for and have an end goal in the periscope.

I am again going to go for a "Two Peak" season. The first race peak will center around the Philly Distance Run and the Army Ten Miler two weeks later (the same plan I had last fall). I will race the Kentlands 5k prior to PDR and will also try to sneak in a fast 8k. I will do the usual summer races (Rockville Twilighter and Falmouth Road Race) while peppering in some track stuff. I hate racing anything over 5k in the summer.

Peak Two will center around the Philadelphia Half Marathon on 11/22. This is 7 weeks AFTER my first peak. This second peak enables me to run the Veteran's Day 10k as a lead up to my second half marathon (both of which are strangely in Philadelphia). I can also try and find a fast 8k around this time too.

I have definitely turned the tide this spring and upped my ante. The uptick of mileage has certainly paid off, so have the 5k-specific workouts. That being said, I am thinking about how much I can do and, in turn, how far I can go before the leaves turn in autumn. How much mileage should I peak at in late summer? Should I try to hover around 100 for 3 weeks and 90-95 for 6 weeks? These are things to think about later this spring...

2 comments:

Steve J. said...

Jake,

Have you given any thought to doing anymore marathons in the future? I know the 10 mile seems to be your bread and butter right now, but with the kind of mileage you've been able to put in and sustain I think you really might be able to run a whale of a time.

KLIM said...

Yes...my long term strategy is to run a marathon in the fall of 2010(Marine Corps), the spring of 2011 (Boston) and then the fall of 2011 (Chicago...or maybe Phoenix in January). Then retire.

My 1500/800 times have always been much better ON PAPER than anything I've done distance-wise. However, now my 5k and 10 miler are in line with my shorter times. According to these same estimates, I can run a 2:26. I would like to hang up my shoes with a 2:27-28ish. Easier said than done...I know! Marathons are wicked. I've been humbled on both attempts. I am hoping that 2+ years of good training will make me stronger/faster and, inevitably, more prepared for the 26.2.