A new pace

Thursday: run 3 x hill (two up and one downhill repeat). 5.4 miles
Friday: rest
Saturday: 5 mile pace run (42:30)
Sunday: 10 miles

Weekly total: 28.4 miles

My pace run this week was all about determining what is comfortably hard. There's no better place to do that than two laps of Freshie on a rainy Saturday morning. As I started the race, I realized I was quickly being sucked into everybody's pace, but my own. I slowed down and concentrated on the rhythm of my own breathing and fell into my natural pace. After the first 2.5 mile lap, I was a little winded and tired but I had a feeling it had more to do with the lack of sleep all week long and the hill workout I ran on Thursday night. Well into the second lap, I felt more comfortable with the pace and I wanted to aim for a fairly even split. Success to me was finishing the second lap within 15 seconds of the first lap. In my mind, I had calculated a 42:30 would give us an even split. As we crossed the finish line I heard the timer yell "42:30. Nice splits!" Mission accomplished.

Lessons learned

Monday: rest
Tuesday: run 5 miles
Wednesday: run 3 miles

Why is it that we can only see our mistakes after it is too late? After you've fallen off the proverbial cliff? You see I kept running despite the soreness in my legs. Utter fatigue that I could never shake. Not even after taking nearly three weeks off of running. I was too far gone. For me marathon training and overtraining go hand in hand. At the point I realize that I've done too much, it's often far too late. After ten marathons, I still haven't found that fine line.

Yes, I finished my tenth marathon. It was painful and unrewarding. I injured the tendon in my right foot at mile eight and limped my way to the finish line. I couldn't walk the next day. After X-rays, physical therapy, and numerous chiropractor appointments, I finally felt better. And then I tripped on an uneven sidewalk and popped a joint out of place in my right toe.

Here I sit on a brand new training cycle and goals with three lessons learned. Or should I say lessons relearned.

• Listen to your body. Do not overtrain. Skip runs when you need to for a mental or physical break. More is not necessarily better.
• Amazingly, the body needs protein to aid in recovery and rebuilding of muscles broken down. You need more than grilled cheese sandwiches, canned soup, and spaghetti with tomato sauce to fuel marathon training. After telling two separate people about my training woes, they both immediately asked me about my protein intake.
• Watch where you step. Especially in the Boston area.