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Technically, it was an ultra-marathon, wasn't it?

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5ksandcabernets: Technically, it was an ultra-marathon, wasn't it?

5ksandcabernets

Friday, August 15, 2008

Technically, it was an ultra-marathon, wasn't it?

My Garmin said I ran 26.75 miles during my last marathon, in December 2007. Was I zig-zagging too much, or did the White Rock Marathon people need this guy to measure the course. This is a neat little feature in the New York Times this morning about how they are measuring the Olympic marathon course. The womens marathon is Sunday, the mens is next weekend.

Writing again: It ain't Watergate, and it won't win me a Pulitzer but Thursday I wrote my first story in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram since April 2002. You can read about a canoe trail opening up on Lake Arlington here.
Tempo speed: Thursday called for 15 minutes easy, a 20 minute tempo run (10k race pace), and 25 minute cool down. The day before I'd run some intervals, so I wasn't sure how my legs would hold up.
In 20 minutes, I ran 2.82 miles, a 7:04 pace. Heart rate averaged 88 percent with a high of 92 percent. I didn't feel gassed at the end, though by the 15th minute I was ready for the run to be over.
It takes a lot of concentration to keep this kind of pace. Its not all out sprinting, but it aint a walk in the park either. Still, just by heart rate alone I know I'm getting in good shape.
On Jan. 1, I ran a 5K in about the same pace as Thursday morning. It was 40 degrees cooler and my heart rate average for the entire run was 93 percent.
Wonder how I'd do now if it was 35 degrees outside.
A sub 21-minute 5K definitely looks to be in the making for me.

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6 Comments:

Blogger J said...

Tempo runs are challenging! I think they did a lot to help me train. I always try to think of the pace as "comfortably hard," and that seems to help me stay on the right pace.

I enjoyed your article! Makes me want to go canoeing...

August 16, 2008 at 7:22 AM  
Blogger Victoria said...

I agree-- while your article was perhaps not an exposé of national proportions, it made me want to go canoeing in Texas, which is perhaps even more powerful writing in my opinion.

Nice time on the tempo runs! You're getting fast!

August 16, 2008 at 9:25 PM  
Blogger CTmarathoner said...

kevin-great tempo run and workouts---sounds like you are ready for ultra, which is technically any distance over 26.2!!
I just finished watching the womens' olympic marathon with a glass of red wine in hand. Now that was a fun exercise:)))

August 16, 2008 at 9:45 PM  
Blogger A Plain Observer said...

I'm with CTMarathoner (Emmy), glass of wine in hand...tempo can wait, cheers

August 16, 2008 at 11:01 PM  
Blogger Rich said...

Thanks for the link to both articles!

August 17, 2008 at 2:50 PM  
Blogger DawnB said...

nice work out kevin. I can't do them to save my life! nice article

August 18, 2008 at 9:13 PM  

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