W.O.D. 4.27.11

Congratulations to Pooch who finished the Boston Marathon

Front Squat
3-3-3-3-3

then:

4 Rounds for time of:
10 Front Squats (@ 70% of your 3 RM)
10 GHD Sit-ups

Read:
The Boston Marathon 2011 from Pooch
Training: I decided for this marathon that I'd try running a little less and doing more cross-training. I chose a 3 run/week plan, with the intention of cross training 2 to 3 times a week. I had been doing CrossFit for a couple months before, so i figured that would be a good supplement.

Doing those daily runs during the dead of winter was brutal. Towards the end, I signed up for a gym membership just to get those speedwork runs in. I curtailed the CrossFit training about 6 weeks before the race, just to try to avoid injury. I ended up with an injury anyhow, with my left ankle developing some soreness, which caused me to take a week off. I switched shoes and came back strong after the layoff. I didn't totally stop cross training though, just doing bodyweight exercises (pushups, situps, squats) to keep my fitness up. I felt really good towards the end of the training, but i worried a little that i didn't get enough miles in, and hoped the cross training would make up for it.

Marathon day

Day starts at 5:15 am - couldn't sleep all that well. Took the subway up to boston common to catch the bus to hopkinton. It took about 25 minutes of waiting in line to get on a bus, and then an hour+ to get out to hopkinton. Overall, the logistics were well managed - its impressive to get that many people transported so quickly. The waiting area in hopkinton felt cramped, but they had a ton of porta-johns, so that wasn't an issue. Finally get out to the corrals and start at10:45. The field was really crowded and i tried to lay back a little to see if it would thin on its own, and to avoid burning out early. By mile 5 or so it hadn't really thinned, but my pace was starting to improve, which started moving me through through the crowd. Around this time, my left calf started tightening, so i tried to compensate by staying on the left hand side of the road. After a while of this, my IT band started bothering me. I moved back to the right side, and of course the calf came back. I played the left-right game for a couple miles but ultimately i found the solution was to pick up the pace. I was taking gatorade every mile, to compensate for not getting much to eat before the race. Then I went past Wellesley College, which has a reputation for a raucous crowd, and they didn't disappoint. It was a big lift, and my pace improved accordingly. Not long after, my music player crapped out, so i abandoned music for the rest of the run. No negative effect though, because there was so much crowd support. Then i got to Newton and the hills. After 16 miles, any hill is a big hill, and 4 in a row is punishment. I cut back my pace and made it through to the top of the last hill (heartbreak hill) before taking a brief walk break. From here on, the course got easier with more downhills, and even more crowd support. The crowds were great, and i really got a lift from them, pumping them up and high-fiving at every opportunity. There were a few more small inclines, which seemed really hard at the time. I was taking walk breaks at the water stations each mile, just to get more fluid in to avoid dehydration. Coming into the city was a great experience. The crowds were 10 to 15 people deep on the street - the final turn onto Boyleston St was like entering a packed stadium at full yell. It gave me chills, and really the only circumstance i can think of where i would experience anything like that. From there it was a coast downhill into the finish and i was passing people right and left. Finished in 4:07, which is 5 minutes off my best time.

If i had to do it again, i would have added a 4th day of running, and ran a little quicker in the first 5, to find my groove earlier. So far, my recovery has been easier, which i think has something to do with the cross training - my quads don't feel nearly as bad as in previous marathons. I can't say that I'm looking forward to the next marathon, I'm just looking forward to some time off. It was great to be out there on the course on the day when the fastest marathon ever was run (2:03:02).

Quote:
"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself."
- Paul Coelho

Results:
Meghann 155 7:13 (95) ghd
Bekah 135 6:26 (95)
Melinda 155 6:57 (105) butterfly abmat
Jay E 275 scale, butterfly abmat
Tim G 205 8:57 (145)
Tom H 125 7:25 (95)
Dianne 98 6:29, (68) butterfly
Mike S 115 7:45 (80) butterfly
Kim G 93 7:18 (63) abmat
nina 145 5:51 (100) ghd
Kara 108 5:40 (63)
Daniela 50 7:19 (35, abmat butterfly)
Jeff 175 6:13 (115, ghd)
Sarah S 78 6:42 (63, ghd)
JB 185 7:02 (115, ghd)
Jackie 115, 5:28@80#
Brian R 185, 6:36@130
Kristen SB 100, 6:38@65
Breanna 80, 8:17@60
Josh 185, 6:09@135
Roman 175, 6:35@105
Shoeless 205, 7:50@145
Clay 185 and 7:56 at 135 GHD
Mel 110 and 4:58 at 75 GHD
Roger 145 and 7:01 at 105 GHD
Sandy 85 and 5:51 at 60
Denise 115 and 6:01 at 75
Peterbutt 185 and 7:36 at 135 GHD
Ditty 115 and 7:46 at 80 GHD
Chuck 145 and 6:22 at 95 from floor
Nicole 110
Flounder 155 and 8:18 at 110
Sharon 115 and 7:57 at 75 GHD
Samantha 55 and 6:45 at 45
Shawn 255 and 7:40 at 185
Justin K. 135 and 4:52 at 95
Sheng Ching 145 and 8:25 at 75 GHD
Rachael 100 and 7:15 at 68 GHD