September 25th Preview

Most of our summer team is starting the fall at the new Florence Half-Marathon this Sunday. I’ll go there too, so (in football terms) this is a “bye week” for EWEB training in Eugene.

If you aren’t running Florence and want to keep to your schedule, I recommend 10 miles for marathoners and five for halfers this weekend.

The Florence race starts at Miller Park (1651 18^th Street) at 8:00. Packet pickup is at the park that morning, beginning at 6:15. I’ll be there from seven o’clock on, then at about the halfway point of the race. A course map came to you by email.

If you want a drink delivered at about 5.5 and 6.5 miles, hand it to me before you start. Weather forecast: sunny with starting temperature in 50s, rising toward afternoon high in 70s. 

HALF-MARATHON LESSON 10: YOUR RECOVERY

Question: What should I do in the days or weeks after this race?

Answer: One of the most important phases of a training program is also one of the most overlooked. This is what to do AFTER the race. It doesn’t end at the finish line but continues with what you do – or don’t do – in the immediate and extended period afterward. One popular rule of thumb is to allow at least one easy day for every mile of the race (about two weeks after a half-marathon). One day per kilometer (or three weeks post-half) might work even better if the race was especially tough. During this period, take no really long runs, none very fast, and avoid further racing. Run easily until the prospect of training for another race excites you.

MARATHON LESSON 20: YOUR SUCCESS

Question: How can I judge how well I run in the marathon?

Answer: A great beauty of running is that it gives everyone a chance to win. Winning isn’t automatic. You still have to work for success and risk failure, especially when the event is a marathon. But unlike other sports there’s no need to beat an arbitrary standard (such as “par” or an opponent’s score). You measure yourself against your personal record – which you might be setting for the first time in this marathon. To the runner, the personal record, or PR, represents one of the greatest advance in the history of this sport. The invention of the digital stopwatch worn on the wrist turned everyone into a potential winner. Here was a personal and yet objective way to measure success and progress. No one can set a PR but you. No one can break a PR but you.