I still remember when I decided I was going to go for it in Chicago. The date was August 16th. I went out for a 15-mile run that morning, a regular distance for a weekday by that point in training. The fact that a weekday 15-miler had become normalized for me — expected and anticipated — was the first sign things had really changed. I was genuinely excited that morning, ready to go.
This particular run required me to keep my heart rate between 143 and 158 beats per minute. This meant a run mostly hanging out in second HR zone. Fitness aside, it was a bit faster than I would have run even a year ago1, had I been doing an equivalent HR-based workout. I’d gotten used to it though. The run was in my “easy” zone, but towards its upper end.
Throughout this summer, the pace of runs like this — medium/long runs, as they’re called — improved. At the start of June, I hoped to keep it south of 8:45 per mile, maybe sub-8:30 on a good day. By the end of July, I was running it between 8:15-8:25. I felt faster with each passing run. I got going that morning and finished my first mile in 8:18.
“Huh,” I thought to myself.
Most of the time, the first mile of my runs ends up being the slowest of the workout. I like starting easy, building my pace after the half-mile mark, and hitting my goal pace by the time the first mile is complete. So to go 8:18? As I wrote on Strava after the run: “Well uh, that was faster than expected.” By the time I finished mile two in 7:46, I knew I was on the way towards one of my best runs ever. When I finished the 15 miles in under two hours, it was official: this was the best training run of my life.
I followed it up with 12 miles the next day, and did seven of them at my marathon pace2, including two of them sub-7:00.
“Huh,” I thought to myself again.
On tired legs, I was running that pace? If I could do that, I think I could do it. I could go for it.
The log week 18:
Sunday: Rest
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 7 miles
Wednesday: 7 miles, with the last 2 at marathon pace
Thursday: 5 miles, with 6 x 100m sprints
Friday: 5 miles
Saturday: 3.1 miles at the Chicago 5k
Weekly total: 27.1 miles
Training total: 1066.9 miles
My first run with “race pace” this cycle was on a Saturday morning back in June. 16 total miles, the last eight were at marathon pace. “For now, we’re going 7:26, which would equal a sub-3:15,” is what I put on Strava. Given I went from a 3:58 marathon in October of 2020 to 3:25 in October of 2021, I figured shaving off another ten minutes was reasonable.
I always begin training with conservative time goals in mind for the eventual race. In 2020, I wanted to go sub-4:00. I never wavered and at the time I think the mental hurdle of the goal, and how poorly the previous two marathons had gone, kept me from really going after anything more. I crossed the finish line with a couple minutes to spare, incredibly happy to go sub-4:00. I did it3.
By the time training got going in 2021, I kept it safe... until I didn’t. 3:45 was my original goal. Then 3:40. 3:35. By the time I got to Minneapolis, I was hoping for a sub-3:30, but I didn’t tell too many people. Better keep it inside, in case I fail, I told myself. In case I let myself down. I didn’t want others to think I let them down either.
I ran a 3:24:58. I did it.
Hell, I crushed it.
The log:
Throughout training this summer, the goalposts moved again. The first few weeks were tough, as I re-acclimated to warmer weather and earlier alarms. As August arrived, I craved those tough runs — the Pay Off Runs — knowing4 Chicago weather in early October would be anything but 80 degrees as the sun rose, with brutal humidity added in just for fun.
By the time August 16th and 17th rolled around, my 3:15 marathon goal was creeping closer and closer to… it.
Derek from Strava5 texted later that day. “You are gonna surprise yourself,” he told me. We talked about if it was in the cards. How it could happen. How the race would start, where I’d be at by mile 20. How I’d run it.
It. I still don’t want to say it out loud sometimes. A goal of mine for more than a year, but something I didn’t think I’d try until 2023 at the earliest.
By the end of August I was all in on going for it. I bought racing-specific shoes, hoping to get myself every advantage possible. I approached every single training run with the goal, my new goal, in mind.
My easy runs in 2021 were often north of 9:00-per mile. When race day in Minneapolis arrived, I was able to to hold a 7:49-per mile pace for all 26.2. That was 70+ seconds faster, per mile, than an average training run.
Chop 70+ seconds off my 8:00-per mile training runs this summer and wouldn’t you know it…
I can’t help but feel like I’m in the midst of something that’s not sustainable. I sometimes worry a wall is approaching. In my last two fulls, I cut off ~40 minutes year over year and then 12 months later, took off another ~35 minutes. Over an hour off my time, with plenty of room for improvement? Won’t it stop?
The wall isn’t approaching. What I’m doing is sustainable. I’m going to keep pushing myself. I’m going to keep believing in myself. I’m going to keep running.
It continues this morning, at the 44th running of the Chicago Marathon.
Whereas the majority of my training the last few years kept me in zone 2 most days, the Pfitzinger 18/70 had me dipping into low ends of zone 3. Which meant I ran faster in training this year, and that’s not even counting my fitness improving. Essentially, I was challenging myself more.
This was also 2020, which meant it was a virtual marathon. I have no doubt that being surrounded by thousands in Minneapolis would have had me running a little faster. But I’m happy for this experience, seeing friends and family at various mile markers throughout Omaha. Truly a day I’ll never forget.
For the record, I know Derek’s last name! I have run with him a few times now, including a great 17-mile run with him and a few others back in September. It’s been fun getting to know him throughout the course of this training cycle. He’s been a great resource as I chase my goals.
2:59:47?! Congratulations!!!
YES!!