September 14, 2023 - Marathoning

While I do have this idea and focus and thinking going on around High Five By 55, I am actually training for something completely different right now: trying to run a personal best at California International Marathon (CIM) in December. I feel like at age 45 I'm probably at the end of the line of much pace improvement in running, even though I have not really been running all that long compared to lifetime runners. So I thought I'd put in one more big go at a marathon and see how low I can go. 

My goal: 2:4X. So, any time in the 2 hour and 40 minute range and I'd be absolutely delighted. I have no idea if it's possible, if I'll be near that. If I'm being honest with myself, I do think I could run under 3 hours fairly comfortably right now on my current training. I ran an "easy" 3:05 last December pacing a friend on zero specific marathon training, which should also be encouraging. But there's a huge difference between getting under 3 hours and being under 2 hours and 50 minutes in the marathon. A gulf of a difference.

In fact, a good part of the reason I want to run under 2:50 is because of that gulf of difference. Quite a few marathon runners end up being able to break that sub 3 target. The number of marathon runners that can work their way under 2:50 is much, much smaller. I'd like to find myself in that much, much smaller group.

Will it happen at CIM? Who knows. Truly, no idea. The weather here in South Florida has been so historically oppressive, that I feel blind to what fitness I may have. Running in dewpoints in the 80s is brutal at almost any pace. I've been putting in the miles, but my higher intensity running hasn't been nearly as fast as would be desired to run 2:4X. It just hasn't been possible given all the heat and humidity stress.

That said, there have been encouraging signs. Last Sunday's long run included some higher effort miles near the end. And the pace come relatively easily and comfortably. Those weren't at my target marathon pace, a good 30 seconds off, actually. But given the dewpoint, the temperature, the sun; I was very pleased. Tiny weather improvements have uncovered fitness I wasn't aware of. Finishing track workouts that I thought I wouldn't be able to manage. Completing long-hard tempo runs with the ability to increase the pace throughout. Just little hints that maybe the training, though it has felt sub-optimal and too slow, is actually doing the trick.

Plus, CIM is an ideal race to really take that shot. Almost certain is weather that will feel like jet fuel on race day. It's not guaranteed to be that perfectly cool overcast day in the high 40s and low 50s. But those temperatures are likely. And a virtual guarantee is low humidity and dew point. Even if it's warm at CIM, the low humidity of northern California will be a dramatic benefit. The course is also ideal. Net downhill, but not really a rolling set of hills. A nice gradual downhill with just a few bumps up here and there and then finishing on a totally flat and fast surface for the last few miles through downtown Sacramento.

And perhaps the biggest benefit of CIM will be the other runners on course. I will not be alone while chasing 2:4X. There will be plenty of other participants doing the same. Almost any local Florida race has a completely different environment. Run at a pace targeting under about 3:10, and you'll be running most of the race alone. When I set my current personal best of 2:58 at Jacksonville Marathon, I ran without another runner near me for over 13 miles. (This isn't entirely true. The course is made up of several out-and-back sections, so I was passing runners going the other way. But that's not the same as running with someone.) And having company is such a huge boost when running. I may never say a word to another participant, yet having others around me and with me will be an incredible benefit. Likelihood is conversations may strike up in the middle miles of the race.

So, one final shot to set a personal best. I think I have a good chance of improving my best time. I'm not nearly as confident I'll reach the 2:4X I hope to.