Rhett

Havasu St. Paddy's Day Race

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Location:

Lake Havasu City,AZ,

Member Since:

Sep 29, 2008

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

23 marathons

6 Bostons (2007-2011, 2017)

3 Half Ironmans

2 Ironmans

3 50 Milers

1 Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim

Marathon PR:

     2:59:00 St. George 2008

     2:58:03 Boston 2010

 1/2 Marathon PR:

     1:25:41  Havasu Half 2009

     1:24:09 Painter's St.George 2010

 Half Ironman PR:

      5:25:02  HITS Havasu 2014

5K PR:

       18:23  LHC Turkey Trot 2014

        18:22  LHC Turkey Trot 2017

50 mile PR:

        7:56:14 Avalon50 2016

Short-Term Running Goals:

Break 3 hours again

Doing it a Boston would be sweet!

It was sweet!

UPCOMING RACES

 

Long-Term Running Goals:

Have fun!

 

Personal:

Married

4 kids

Optometrist

 

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Salomon Sense Pro 4 Lifetime Miles: 320.00
Salomon Ultra Pro Lifetime Miles: 387.00
NB 1500 V6 Lifetime Miles: 219.00
Adizero Pro Lifetime Miles: 57.00
Hoka Clifton 8 Lifetime Miles: 346.00
Brooks Ghost 14 Lifetime Miles: 343.00
Brooks Ghost 14 #3 Lifetime Miles: 163.00
Inov8 G270 Lifetime Miles: 20.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
147.0028.0012.3016.700.00204.00
Addidas Bostons Miles: 95.70SpeedStar 4 Miles: 40.00SpeedStar 2 #2 Miles: 45.10
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.001.000.000.000.0015.00

I decided to make this a long slow week, so I started out today with 15 miles on the TM at 1% incline running at a 7:30 pace.  I did run mile 10 at mp (6:40) just to see how it felt.

 

Comments(5)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Lower body weights

abs and core

15 minutes elliptical

It's going to be a crazy busy day at work today.  Yuck!

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
15.300.000.000.000.0015.30

Today was supposed to be hill sprints day, but since I decided to make this a long slow week, I ran my hill sprints course without doing any sprints.  I just kept a nice steady pace both up and down the hills.  I felt really good today.

15.3 miles   AP 7:36

Addidas Bostons Miles: 15.30
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
3.000.000.000.000.003.00

Lower body weights

abs and core

3 miles recovery on TM 1% at 8:27

I don't usually run on Thursdays (And this was more of a jog than a run anyways.), but I got some new shoes in the mail last night that I plan on using for Boston and I wanted to try them out.  They are the new update from the SpeedStar 3.  SpeedStar 4 is definitely different than the previous model. It wasn't just small changes.  I think I like them, but I'll have to do a longer run in them to be sure.

SpeedStar 4 Miles: 3.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
30.000.000.000.000.0030.00

You couldn't have asked for a more perfect morning for a nice long slow run.  It was in the upper 40s and almost no wind.  The sky was clear and the stars and moon shined brightly.

Yesterday Teena posted on my blog "Be careful... and remember your montra." almost like she knew I was planning something stupid today.  I ignored her message knowing that I was setting my montra, "Nothing Stupid." aside for just one day.  When I was on my mission, one of my companions and I decided that the difference between bravery and stupidity is luck and I was feeling lucky today.  For that matter I was feeling really good as I took off on my long adventure this morning.  It was one of the days were I felt like I could run forever and I was set out to test if I could.

I have been planning this run for a few months and really looking forward to it.  I had never run farther than 26.2 miles before and today was the day that changed.  I didn't do any extra carb loading yesterday except have a few extra pieced of my wife's yummy homemade whole wheat bread for dinner.  The plan was to do 3 different 10 mile loops that I regularly run, but all in one run.  The first loop has a bunch of small to medium rolling hills.  The second consists of more large to medium rolling hills.  And the last loop starts with a 3.5 mile ascent of about 700 feet and then gives a nice easy descent of those 700 feet over the last 6.5 miles.

First 10 miles-- 1:18:00

Second 10 miles-- 1:17:30

Last 10 miles-- 1:18:12

Total run 3:53:42  AP 7:47

I really felt great the whole run and finished strong feeling like I could still go more if I needed to.  I hope I feel like I did today at Boston.

I went with Cade to his kindergarten class this morning for Doughnuts with Dad at 7:30.  I think I was the only dad there who had run 30 miles this morning. :) 

Addidas Bostons Miles: 30.00
Comments(13)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

I was wondering how my legs would respond today after such a long run yesterday.  They feel great though.  Just some very mild soreness in the quads.  

 1 hour station bike.  

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
7.003.003.000.000.0013.00

It was a nice week going long and slow, but now back to my normal training.

Today I wanted to get in some tempo paced miles.  Did a TM workout.

2 @ 8:00  warm up

1 @ 7:30 nice and easy

3 @ 6:15 good tempo miles

2 @ 8:00 recovery

3 @ 6:40 marathon pace felt easy today

2 @ 7:30 cooling down

Total 13 miles 1:33:15

Seems like that 30 miler didn't take too much out of me.  Yes!

SpeedStar 4 Miles: 13.00
Comments(5)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Lower body weights

Abs and core work

30 minutes stair speed intervals

Legs feeling strong today.

Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.000.000.006.000.0012.00

Lane had tubes put in his ears this morning, so I was on Dad duty with the other kids.  I'll have to run tonight.

I finally started my run around 7:30 tonight.  I think they had the temperature set on "sauna" at the gym tonight.  

TM at 1% incline

Warm up: 1 mile @8:00, 2 miles @ 7:30

Mile repeats with 2 minute walk breaks:  First 3 @ 6:00 then I had to switch to 0% incline and 3 minute walk breaks for the last 3 but still @ 6:00.

Cool down 1 mile @ 8:00 then 1 mile @ 7:30

Total:  12 miles

I think I lost about 6 lbs in sweat. 

SpeedStar 2 #2 Miles: 12.00
Comments(5)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Same as Tuesday.

Lower body weights

ab and core work

30 minutes Stair speed intervals

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

50 minute elliptical

I decided to run a local 5K tomorrow.  It is a flat course and I have not run a flat 5K in about 5 years so I'm interested to see what kind of time I can get.  I think I'll will mix the race into my long run somehow... maybe run to the race and then home from it.

Comments(10)
Race: Havasu St. Paddy's Day Race (3.1 Miles) 00:18:52, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
12.400.003.100.000.0015.50

I wanted support the local race this morning and I needed to get in a long run for my Boston training, so I decided to combine them.  After getting up and having a yummy peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat, I grabbed a Gu, and headed out the door to the race.  I wasn't exactly sure how far it was to the race.  It ended up being 5.1 miles, about a mile farther than I was thinking.  I averaged 7:34 on the 5.1 miles, too fast and far for a race warm up.  I had about 10 minutes to down my Gu, drink some water, and get my race number pinned on.  

I was running the 5K.  Doone, my super sexy and now speedy wife, was doing the 10K and Chase and Cade, my 10 and 5 year old boys were doing the 1 mile run.  The 10Kers took off first, then the 5Kers, followed by the milers.  There wasn't much of a field, couldn't have been more the 50 people total for all the races and none of the other local fast guys were racing.  I took off and right from the start could tell my legs were a bit heavy from the run to the race.  I tried to keep the first 2 miles comfortable.  Mile 1- 5:56 and mile 2- 6:04.  I was right were I wanted to be time-wise, but now I could tell I wasn't going to be able to speed up and finish strong like I wanted to, and with no one else close to me to help push me, I just let myself keep the pace strong but comfortable and ended up doing mile 3 in 6:18.  I did miss one turn and have to stop and go back a bit.  That was annoying and sealed the fact that I wasn't going to push into "puke pace".  I averaged 5:43 on the last 0.1 to finish in a slightly disappointing time of 18:52.

 I took first place by about 6 minutes and did set a PR, but I know I can run much faster then that.  I guess I shouldn't run to races anymore.  

I stayed around and cheered Doone into a great finish time of 52:13, a new PR and 4th place woman.  Cade and Chase missed the mile turn around point and ended up running close to two miles.  They got mad and refused to cross the finish line. :-)

 After Doone caught her breath I took off to finish my long run.  I put Cade in charge of receiving my award.  It was a cool little plaque.  I did 7.3 miles more on the way back to my house averaging 7:41.

Total run 15.5 miles, 1 PR, and 1 1st place finish. 

SpeedStar 2 #2 Miles: 3.10Addidas Bostons Miles: 12.40
Comments(7)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
2.009.000.000.000.0011.00

I sure hope that when I wake up 5 weeks from today I feel a whole lot better than I did this morning.  I could tell right when I got out of bed that it was going to be a tough run today.  I was hoping to get in a nice mp run today, but just wasn't feeling it.

I headed out the door anyways and did one warm up mile which helped get me feeling a little better.  The wind this morning wasn't any help either.  Then I started into my mp paced miles and I just could not quite hit mp this morning.  This lead to negative thoughts, wondering how I ever ran a 1/2 marathon in Jan. averaging 6:25 per mile and if I needed to adjust my marathon goal pace.  On the 9th mile at mp when I only hit 6:59, I did do one smart thing.  I called it a day and did a cool down mile.  I was planning on 11 mp miles, but I figured there was no use hurting myself trying to get in those last 2 miles.  

Total run 11 miles, 1:17:35

9 miles at not quite mp,  AP 6:51

I'm hoping my legs were just tired from my race/run on Saturday. 

SpeedStar 2 #2 Miles: 11.00
Comments(12)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

ab and core work

40 minutes elliptical

I was suprised that my legs were still a bit sore.  Hopefully they feel better tomorrow.

Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
6.300.000.003.700.0010.00

Slept in again this morning.  Boy did that feel good!  I'll get my run in this evening.

 

I took the kids to the gym while Doone went to young women's.  I decided to get in some speed work on the TM.  1% incline

warm up 2.5 miles at 8:00

1 minute jog at 5.5mph then 1 minute jog at 11.0 mph... repeat 20 times for a total of 5.6 miles

1.9 mile cool down at 8:00

Total run 10 miles 1:15:00

It felt really good to get in some fast running.  My right hammy started getting a little tight on the last few repeats though.   

SpeedStar 2 #2 Miles: 10.00
Comments(9)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Abs and core work

1  hour elliptical

Legs felt great this morning.

I'm going to take tomorrow off, so I have fresh legs for Saturday.  My tri relay team is counting on me to run a quick 10k.  Hopefully I don't let them down.

Comments(10)
Race: Havasu Triathlon (6.2 Miles) 00:39:50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
2.000.006.200.000.008.20

Today was the Lake Havasu Triathlon.  It is a collegiate event that others are welcome to participate in.  We had 5 BYU mens triathletes stay at our house.  The top BYU guy was at our place and did the olympic tri in 2:04.  That is really fast.  He took 7th overall.  I didn't want to get into the cold water, so I organized a relay team and only had to run the 10K at the end.  There was another local relay team we were trying to beat.  

Our swimmer did great swimming a 24 minute 1500m, and we were only 1:30 behind our competition.  We had to get a last minute cyclist since ours was sick.  The new guy claimed to be able to do the 40K in 1:05.  We were counting on him to match or better the cycling time of the other team.  Unfortunately he was significantly slower than advertised and we were almost 15 minutes behind by the time I was given the timing chip.  I knew the most I would be able to make up on the other runner was 4 or 5 minutes, so I just tried to run a good steady 10K.  I started strong even though the first mile is brutal with a run through deep sand and up some steep stairs climbing the London Bridge.  I hit 6:15 on the first mile which is way faster than I thought I would be.  I thought I was feeling fine and had not pushed too hard, but that first mile took more out of me than I thought.  As the race went on I gradually faded and finished the 10K in a disappointing 39:50 which was about 8 seconds per mile slower than I ran the St. George Half Marathon.  

This leaves me wondering why I am getting slower instead of faster.  What do I need to do to get my legs back before Boston?  I felt fine during my 2 mile warm up and at the beginning of the race, but I just couldn't hold the pace like I should have been able to.   My legs didn't feel dead or anything.  I was hoping this race would give me a good confidence boost heading into the last few weeks before Boston, but it seems to have done the opposite.  I guess I have 4 weeks to figure it out.  I figure I'll try and cut miles but maintain intensity (speed) and hope to be feeling good on race day.

We ended up about 9 minutes back of the guys we were racing, so I did make up some time, but really never had a chance being so far back. 

Comments(12)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
14.006.000.000.000.0020.00

Since I raced Saturday, I decided to change today's tempo run for the long run I was supposed to do Satruday.  The plan was to run 14 miles at 7:30 then the last 6 at mp.

It was a beautiful morning, about 60 degrees and no wind.  I was feeling pretty good as I got going.  I hit the first 10 miles in 13:30, about a minute and a half too fast, but I knew I had a 4 mile climb coming.  I lost my minute and a half that I had gained and ended up at 1:45:39 after 14 miles, 39 seconds slow but not bad.  I then dropped to marathon pace.  I was a little tired from the 4 mile climb, but I now had gravity on my side so I was able to get into the grove pretty quickly.  I ende up averaging 6:30 over the last 6 miles (irronically the same pace I ran Saturday's 10K), which was 60 seconds faster than planned.  So in the end, I was 21 seconds ahead of the plan.

Total run:  20 miles, 2:24:39, AP 7:14

I was nice to have a good run today.  I needed that after Saturday.  I decided I've become bipolar with my running.  Either it is a great day or a terrible one.  I just hope I hit Boston on a great day.

Addidas Bostons Miles: 20.00
Comments(8)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Lower body weights

abs and core

20 minutes stair speed intervals

10 minutes elliptical

Quads were a bit sore this morning from yesterdays run, but overall feeling good.

Comments(10)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.000.000.005.000.009.00

My schedule called for mile repeats this morning, but the thought of doing a full mile fast was intimidating today, so I decided to do Yasso's workout instead.  After a two mile warm up on the TM and some dynamic stretching, I programed the speed intervals to run at 6:00 pace and to walk at 3.3 mph and did half mile repeats with a minute walk break in between.  I did 10 of them and then cooled down for 1.25 miles for a total of 9 miles in 65:00.  It was a good confidence boost to do each one at 3:00 and still feel like I could do some more.  I hope Bart Yasso is right, that that means I can do a 3 hour marathon.

Specifics on my TM Yasso's repeats for my future reference.

TM @1% incline

2 mile warm up @ 7:30

Dynamic stretching

50 second walk @ 3.3mph

Switch to run speed @ 10 mph for 3:10

Repeat 10 times

1.25 coold down @ 8:00

SpeedStar 2 #2 Miles: 9.00
Comments(13)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Abs and core work

Lower body weights

20 minutes stair speed intervals

Only one more lower body weights workout next Tuesday and then no more weight lifting until after Boston!

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
24.000.000.000.000.0024.00

The plan today was to go out and run 24 miles in 3 hours (7:30 pace).  I wore my Boston race shoes and socks.  It was only my 3rd time to wear theses shoes and first time to wear this pair of socks.  Both passed the test well.  I will now put them aside until race day.

I got started around 4:20 this morning and my stomach felt a bit queasy on the first mile, but then I started to find my grove and felt pretty good the rest of the run.  I hit the 12 mile mark 4 seconds ahead of pace still feeling strong, but knowing that the second half of the run had a lot more big hills than the first half.  I continued to run strong and was able to push a little on the downhill parts of the run.  Mile 24 was about a 200 ft climb, so I needed to bank a little time.  I had about a minute banked with one mile to go and was happy that I didn't need it all.  I ended up finishing in 2:59:21 with 39 seconds to spare.  AP 7:28

My splits were all over the place do to the nature of the rolling hills.  You can tell which were up and which were down just looking at them.  I was happy that my only mile over 8 minutes was the first mile where I was still warming up and finding my groove:  8:06, 7:25, 7:23, 7:22, 7:10, 7:32, 7:13, 7:21,7:13,7:19, 7:53, 7:59, 7:39, 7:06, 7:47, 7:24, 7:28, 7:34, 7:05, 7:06, 7:15, 7:42, 7:25, 7:54.

I'm very happy with my final really long run.  All I have to do is run 2.2 more miles in the same amount of time as today.  With a little taper, some carb loading, and some race day magic, I think I'll have a good shot at it. 

SpeedStar 4 Miles: 24.00
Comments(11)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

1 hour stationary cycle

Legs felt really good today. 

Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
2.009.000.000.000.0011.00

It was a glorious morning for a nice hard run.  There was a full moon, no wind, and it was 50 degrees.  I headed out to the island for another attempted mp run.  I've not been happy with my last few mp runs and was hoping today would be different... and it was.

After a mile warm up around 7:30, I picked it up and searched for the comfortable marathon pace (6:40).  I hit a little fast on the first mile, but then settled into a pretty good rythm.  On mile 5 I started to feel like my legs were tying up a bit and I was working to hard and was worried that another mp run was about to fall about.  When I hit the split and looked at my watch I had run a 6:26 for that mile. No wonder I felt like I wa working too hard, I was.  I backed off the pace a bit and got back into my groove.  I was able to finish strong on the last mile at 6:30, finishing 9 marathon paced miles with an AP of 6:37.  I cooled down for a mile at just over 7 min pace and called it a day.

Total run 11 miles, 1:14:31, AP 6:47

I did work harder than I should have been working at mp, but considering I ran a hard 24 miler on Friday, I was very happy with my run today.  I did decide on my Boston strategy while running this morning.  I have decided to run a 6:52 pace through the Newton Hills and then if I'm feeling it, pick up the pace for the last 5 miles.  If not, just try and hold on to that 6:52 pace for a 3 hour marathon.

Addidas Bostons Miles: 11.00
Comments(10)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
0.000.000.000.000.000.00

Lower body weights

Abs and core work

20 minutes stair speed intervals

10 minutes elliptical

Today was my last day of weight training before Boston!! Lower body weight training is my least favorite workout, but I know how much it helps me so I do it.  It will be nice to have a few weeks off from it.  I'll keep up the ab and core work for a couple more weeks though.

Comments(7)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
5.000.000.002.000.007.00

The goal now that taper had begun is to keep up the normal intesity, but cut milage.  I did my hill sprints workout today with a shorter warm up and cool down. 

1 mile warm up

5 laps = 15 hill sprints.  Approximately 2 miles of sprints with easy jogging in between

0.5 mile cool down.

Total run 7 miles

Addidas Bostons Miles: 7.00
Comments(5)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
147.0028.0012.3016.700.00204.00
Addidas Bostons Miles: 95.70SpeedStar 4 Miles: 40.00SpeedStar 2 #2 Miles: 45.10
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