Training for Youngstown

After all these years, I still love using Hal Higdon's training programs. So once we decided on the Youngstown Marathon for my 18th go-round in the big 26.2-mile event, the next big decision was whether to use Hal's Intermediate program (which I used for my last two marathons) or one of his Advanced programs (which I last used for the Myrtle Beach Marathon in 2016).

While I remembered that the track training, hill sprints and tempo runs did get me into the best shape of my life in 2016, I also clearly recalled how utterly spent I felt from it. On the hard workouts, I tend to go extra hard (my own fault, I know) and with one speed training day per week, one pace run per week, and long runs every Sunday, there is little room for recovery.

Still, I felt like using the Intermediate program and merely putting in the miles would be a waste of my potential.  I am lucky enough to be 43 years old and posting relatively awesome results at all of my races.  If I still have it, I feel obligated to use it because, someday, it will go away.  

Thus, the hard training began.  I modified the program to include more extra-long runs (doing a 20-, 21- and 22-miler instead of three 20s), and a few 11-milers (instead of topping out at 10 for the middle distance runs). For the 800-meter repeats, I kept them all at around 2:50, rather than a more reasonable Yasso-style 3:03; and for my tempo runs, I endeavored to make the middle-third of each run (ranging from 30 to 45 minutes) at 10K pace or better.  I may have taken it a little easier on the hill sprints, using a one-third mile stretch on Horseneck Road in Montville that was not as steep as others, though, because I can torture myself only so much.

Speaking of hills, I have written often about how I tend to do pretty well on hills, but here is something new I have learned about myself - the lack of hills on long runs seems to be a detriment.

Case in point - I did my 21-mile run on the beautiful Delaware and Raritan Canal trail and my legs felt extremely fatigued by mile 18.  Two weeks later, I did a 22-miler along the roads through Morris, Passaic and Essex counties - with hills that stretched for miles, some with a 300-foot incline - at a faster pace than the flat canal trail; and I felt great the entire time.

Taking that into account, it seemed from the elevation chart that Youngstown was relatively flat, so I knew I would have to be careful.

By the time we hit the road on Saturday morning, I felt completely ready to tackle this marathon and add another state to my list.