Race Report - The Breakers Marathon

Joey was nice enough to run across the finish line with me. He wanted to do it again.

I have nothing but kind words to say about this race. the entire course was not only beautiful but varied, much more hilly than expected, much less windy than expected and very well organized. It wasn't large enough to close roads to traffic but honestly, for $50, you really can't ask for more.

I don't have much to say about my performance. I took 30 minutes off my PR, so I'm not allowed to complain - but I do kind of wish that I could have run longer (read: not walked to early.) I also kind-of-sort-of-maybe had a slight problem with wet abrasive shirt on my man-boobs. Anyway, here are my splits:

1 11:39 0:11:39
2 12:10 0:23:50
3 11:17 0:35:07
4 missed the marker
5 23:22 0:58:60 (for two miles)
6 11:32 1:10:04
7 12:22 1:22:27
8 12:17 1:34:44
9 12:31 1:47:15
10 12:00 1:15:15
11 11:59 2:11:15
12 12:20 2:23:35
13 11:56 2:35:32
14 12:59 2:48:31
15 14:43 3:03:15
16 15:25 3:18:40
17 12:28 3:31:09
18 16:05 3:47:15
19 14:35 4:01:50
20 17:04 4:18:55
21 16:36 4:35:31
22 16:59 4:49:48
23 14:59 5:04:48
24 15:03 5:19:52
25 14:35 5:35:27
26.2 16:17 5:50:45 (for 1.2 miles)

Next up, Philadelphia Marathon in four weeks. Goal - 5:30. In order to accomplish this, I'd like to run at least one long run in the next two weeks and then allow myself a two-week taper. Maybe a half-marathon. Not sure.

-steve

A real conversation with my son

Since when are slip 'n slides inflatable??

Joe: "Daddy, who made us?"
Steve: "God did."
J: "Who made the earth?"
S: "God."
J: "Who made space?"
S: "God."
J: "Who made the monsters on space jam?"
S: "uhh..."


Busy weekend coming up for us. I'm leaving in a few hours for Newport, Rhode Island, where I'll run in the Breaker's Marathon. It'll be my third attempt at the 26.2 mile distance and I'm going to press very hard to break six hours. I feel like, if I have a great day and everything clicks, I could potentially run a 5:30 - but my goal for tomorrow is 6.

After the marathon, we're heading up to Ludlow, VT for a pre-season snow party!

Then, I'll sleep in the back of my van, and leave early Sunday morning to return to Rhode Island to drop off Joey in Providence, then drive one hour southeast to attend a wedding in Mystic CT, then drive back to Providence, then, late Sunday night, head home to Suffern.

fun.

-steve

Post#300 - Running Goals

find the pork

It's been a couple of weeks since I've posted to this blog. There are a couple of reasons - one, I've just been very busy with work. But also, this is my 300th post to this blog, and I'm not sure what to do with it. Part of me wants to treat it like any other of the 299 posts there. Another part of me wants to make it special with some overwhelmingly awesome content. Seeing as I have nothing overwhelmingly awesome to write, I can easily rule that out.

Then, tonight, I realized that, in the limited about of time I have these days, I could just write down, for the first time, some of the more ambitious running and especially ultrarunning goals that I've been kicking around. It's not normal content, but it's not overwhelmingly awesome either. In a word, it's perfect.

And for my purposes, I'm categorizing them.

1.) Running Goals that I will definitely attempt to achieve in 2008
- Reduce bodyweight to 225 lbs
- 2000 miles of running over the entire year
- A spring marathon
- A trail marathon
- The Vermont 50 miler
- NYC Marathon (If I get the lottery, otherwise, guaranteed 2009)
- a 60-minute 10K
- A sub-5 hour marathon
- And maybe, just maybe, a 100K.

2.) Goals that I would like to attempt in 2009
- A 24-hour race.
- Mt. Washington Road Race
- Escarpment Trail Run
- Vermont 100
- A sub-4 hour marathon
- Maybe a 20 minute 5K?

3.) Goals for 2010 and beyond
- A BQ.
- Pikes Peak Ascent
- Western states 100
- Tour du Mont Blanc

4.) "Steve smoked crack for breakfast" dreams (Not goals, just dreams. I'd be as surprised as anybody if I did these.)
- Spartathlon
- Hardrock
- Badwater