Goals and Races: All part of Training

We are into the exciting and nerve racking taper for the Surf City Marathon on February 1st.

Last weekend we had a wrapup party for the 2008 Christmas

 Camp. Ronda provided the coveted 

"finisher" hoodies that were earned by pounding out the 100 miles and various other punishments over the week. We also threw out our "stretch" goals for the year. What did we hope to achieve that would be cool and fun but also force us to push our bodies just that little bit harder. My main one remains the sub 3 hour marathon. Trisha's is our "Rim to Rim to Rim" of the Grand Canyon in early June...a ~42 mile distance! All of the goals are inspiring and help get you out the door for a training run or push a little harder during a race. I highly recommend having a goals party with your athelete buddies and setting up for a great upcoming year.

Towards our goals, today was a checkpoint on our training with running the Vancouver Lake 1/2 marathon.

Trisha and I went out with the goal of approximating our marathon pace for the 1/2 marathon. One last good hard tempo run. 

I stuck to my goal. I ran somewhat conservative for the first 8 miles and then picked up the pace to finish feeling really strong at 1:29:30 (6:49 pace). Fueled and hydrated well.

Trisha blew her goal out of the water...as I knew she would. She posted a 6 minute PR with a 1:51:30 (8:30 pace). Hmmmm...I smell a Boston qualifier attempt coming for this girl (3:45:00 for her age group)!! :-)

Ronda won her age group with a PR and was too close behind for me to run back and snap some pictures...nice!

My running buddy Ryan Altman is getting into training towards Boston and it was great to see him back in the groove.

Everyone was pretty chilled at the end with the surprise snow on the ground making for cold wet feet. But I will take snow over wind and rain on this course that has long straight stretches where a head wind would be brutal!

We hung around for some time "pressing flesh" and advertising our first events for Reason To Run in April. I usually dread talking to people I don't know but almost all runners like talking about the race they just finished (good or bad) and the planning towards the next one so I ended up really enjoying talking to a good chunk of the finishers.

Full results for the race will by available on Timing by Zornick shortly.

Yesterday was a recovery run for me so I had the fun opportunity to take my friend Jon Knapp out on the Forest Park t

rails for the very first time. We did a nice but not easy 7.5 miles from the Zoo to Pittock Mansion and back on the Wildwood trail. This is arguably the hilliest section of the trail and Jon did awesome. The trail is amazingly dry for this time of year. Also happy to report that the section threw the arboreteum is fully open with finished renovations. Make sure you get out and enjoy it...who knows when the rains will return!

Now we essentially rest and stretch with some shorter marathon pace tempo runs in the mix leading up to Surf City next Sunday. For both bootcamp sessions next week I am working with Gretchen to stretch out the always tight hamstring, IT and hip flexors. Eke out a little more range of motion to help on race day. 

With good weather in Huntington Beach and smart planning I will be striving for that sub 3 once again. I can hardly wait!