Al Truscott Boston/CDA Hack
Patrick: I did the final 8 weeks of the marathon hack last summer with good results. Here's my thinking on dectermining a race day pace for Boston:
- I do not see myself as either a marathoner or a runner. I am a triathlete.
- Back in 2003-4, I did 3 marathons, with the express/sole purpose of qualifying for Boston. It took 3 races to figure the pacing out, but I eventually hit 20 minutes under my Q time.
- I raced Boston in 05 & 06, and vowed then to never *race* another marathon - I just didn't like the amount of running required in training to do well on race day.
- In 06, I enjoyed myself immensely there, going 20 minutes slower than my qualifying time. I followed that with my first AG victory in an Ironman, @ CDA. That's the result I hope to duplicate.
- Of note, that Boston time was 30 minutes *faster* than my IM marathon time a year later (06 was a very hot year @ CDA, and my time was slower as a result).
- My qualifying race last year, done on 8 weeks training with the EN marathon hack, was 25 minutes under my BQ time.
- My recent marathon pace was 8:37, my VDOT long run pace is 9:07; a recent IM marathon was @ my BQ time, a pace of 9:38. My Boston target pace should be within those numbers, 8:37-9:38 min/mi. Right now, I'm guessing 8:52 is my target pace.
I have two questions about the hack:
- There are 3 runs a week listed. The OS has 4 runs a week in the Int plan. Should I aim for 3 or 4 runs in the 8 weeks leading to Boston, considering I'm also doing the OS bikes in weeks 9-14, plus the Tucson Rally, then start the IM plan two weeks before Boston.
- The paces for the long runs are written as "MP", LRP, and some TP and HMP. I'm thinking that the miles listed @ "MP" I should do at the pace I'm planning to run the race. Or should I try to make them faster? If I followed my VDOT MP, we're talking a minuter per mile difference (7:50 vs 8:50). I could handle the faster pace, it's what I did last spring building to my summer marathon. But do I *need* to train that fast in those long runs? I still plan on running all the other paces - TP, HMP, etc - as written in the plan.
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Comments
1 - I don't think the race you run in Boston will help you en route to CDA as much as the right training paces in the many weeks prior. I think you are getting at this, especially as you have put the thought of peak performance in Boston out of your head. I think the 8:52 pace is a solid target race pace given what you reveal ^above^ so let's stick that.
2 - Let's cut down to 3 runs a week...I don't think that extra run nets you much else this early, especially with your inclusion of the three quality bikes.
3 - Yes to MP runs being done at your target race pace. NORMALLY I have folks run at MP (faster than goal race pace) but in your case fitness in the race itself isn't the ultimate goal...we need to assimilate all the work you are doing into your target IM.
4 - You still need to recover like a pro from the hard runs...don't skimp here as you are doubling down on the OS and can easily build up tightness and/or excessive fatigue!
Please keep me posted....