Boston recap, 135th overall, 2:34:09

I ran the perfect race for what shape I was in. Just look at my 5k splits through 40k, and you will see that I never hit the wall and consistently kept up the same intensity level. The few outliers (17:32 is mostly downhill, while the 30k and 35k splits include the hill portions of the course. All in all I'm most excited about the strength I held throughout the entire course.

5k 0:17:32
10k 0:35:25 (17:53)
15k 0:53:28 (18:03)
20k 1:11:36 (18:12)
25k 1:29:37 (18:01)
30k 1:48:09 (18:32)
35k 2:06:32 (18:23)
40k 2:24:51 (18:19)

Unfortunately my hamstring locked up in a massive cramp, which unleashed cramps in both calves, so I had to walk for a little over a minute before I calmed them down enough to hobble jog on in. Going into the last mile I was projected to get 2:32:50, so the cramp really put me in the hurt locker. I finished 8 seconds off my PR, which I ran at Boston two years ago.

In the team competition, the Knoxville Track Club men finished 5th overall against some pretty stout competition. Ethan ran 2:34:23 and Elijah ran 2:37:50 to close out the scoring, both of which were PRs.

Boston 2011 is finally here!!!

It is Boston weekend and I'm excited to run it. I didn't get to run Boston last year due to an injury, so I'm even more eager to run the course this year. I feel like training went as well as it could. I didn't get to run in as many races during this training season as I would have liked, but I got in some quality long runs to make up for it.

I'm shooting for a personal record and feel like I have a great shot at running sub 2:34. I plan to run the first 10k faster than I normally have in past Boston's because I got in several downhill specific trainer long runs and feel my quads can withstand the extra abuse and still be able to last 26 miles. I plan on running the first half around 1 hour 16 minutes, and the second half in 1:17.

Lets hope for excellent weather, which it looks like it will be. I will post a recap after the race.

Boston Marathon training update

This marathon training season has had its ups and downs, but it has definitely gone well over the past six weeks. I've been putting in good weekly mileage outputs over the past 13 weeks (60-80 miles), with the exception of a flu week, which set me back about six weeks ago. The flu prevented me from running two key long run weekends, but I've been able to work my way back into shape since then. Two weeks ago I ran my first race of the year, a half marathon in 1:16:44, which was encouraging. If I can run that time back-to-back at Boston, then I will set another marathon personal best! Then last weekend I ran a marathon distance trainer in 2:56, which I feel will pay off down the road.

Over the last seven weeks, I'm going to be focusing on some longer speed workouts, and I will probably run one-to-two more three-hour long runs before I start to taper the last three weeks.

Hope everyone's training seasons are going well!

Running update: Back training and racing again

I can safely say that I believe the worst of my adductor strain, that has kept me sidelined for most of 2010 is behind me. I'm up to 60 miles a week and 10 miles for a long run without any discomfort. I'm training for the Boston Marathon for the third time, which I didn't get to run last year due to the injury. I'm aiming for another personal record, so breaking 2:34 will be a major success in my mind, considering the lack of training during the past year. I am well rested, that's for sure. I feel like I've come away from this injury experience wiser, and I'm definitely concentrating more on strength training and stretching because of it. I plan on racing a full slate again in January, so here's to four more weeks of injury-free base mileage.

Hope everyone has a Happy Holiday season!

Running bio for KTC Web site

I just finished writing a bio for my profile on the Long Distance Committee for the new Knoxville Track Club Web site that is to roll out in January and I wanted to share it.

Born and raised in Knoxville, Bob Adams currently works at TVA after finishing a five-year, active-duty assignment in the U.S. Army as a print journalist. He attended the University of Tennessee for both undergrad and graduate school, attaining an MBA in Logistics and Marketing. Bob grew up in a KTC family, and at 8 years old, he ran in his first KTC road race in 1988. Bob’s dad, Brint Adams, a former KTC President and Board Member, was Bob’s role model and running partner throughout his younger years. Bob ran on the KTC Youth Athletics summer track team from 1990 – 1994, reaching the AAU National Championships three times. Fast forward to 2010 and Bob has now completed 13 marathons and five ultramarathons, the farthest being 72-mile jaunt across the Smokey Mountains. Bob has watched the KTC grow exponentially over the years, and is excited to give back to the program that has helped shape his life. Bob said, “I enjoy helping others reach their goals, and I’m excited to pass along the knowledge I’ve gained to the running community for many years. I want to add that the Olympic torch my dad carried through Knoxville has metaphorically been handed down to my brother (Brad) and I, and we hope to carry it just as proudly for the KTC while we are here.”

CURRENT RUNNING STATUS:
I finally went to get physical therapy for my adductor injury, and I'm almost healed. I'm ultimately aiming for the Boston Marathon 2011, so I'm easing my way into the mileage again. I will post updates of my progress along the way.

Blue Ridge Relay Overall Team Victory ...

... with an ultra team to less. That's right my friends, team KTC - Shaving Time, showed the running world, that 6 are stronger than 12. Our main goal was to win the Ultra Category and attain the Ultra team course record. But once we got going, we noticed that it wasn't out of the question to take down the overall course record as well, which was set last year, by the 12-runner team, Norm's Maggots, who have won the Blue Ridge Relay the past 3 years.

The Blue Ridge Relay consists of running 208 miles along the Blue Ridge Parkway and surrounding mountainous country roads. Most of the trendy relays that have sprouted up over the past decade were formed to attract 12-person teams. But this event includes an ultra category and that was right up my alley, so to speak. This is the second year that I have been on the Shaving Time team. The first year, one of our runners went off course and we were penalized an hour for the mistake. Either way, we weren't going to make the same mistake again this year.

We came into this year with a strong team. Five out of the six runners, had run on this team before, so they knew what they were getting into. The sixth runner was my brother, who has run a 50-miler before as well as a 12-person relay, so he kind of knew what he was getting into. From the get go, we took the lead and no team came even close to catching us. As a team we were averaging sub 6:00 per mile pace through the first 120 miles or so. The key was to replenish and prepare to be ready to run again within three hours or so. Each runner on the team ran six different times, and on pre-determined distances. I ran 34 miles, while some ran a few more miles and some ran a few less. After it was all said and done, we finished in 21 hours, 25 minutes, which ended up being about 6:10 per mile pace, which was fast considering the last 50 miles go up and down some tough mountains. That time beat the former course record by 18 minutes, so we couldn't really let up as we approached the finish.

There is so much more I could talk about, like how we all grew mustaches for the event, my love for Monster energy drinks before running my legs of the relay, to counting the amount of "kills" you claimed as you pass other teams, but I could write all night if I started down that road, so I must digress. My legs are still sore, but I'm already craving defending the title next year!

Training is slowly ramping up

My hamstring pull is "slowly healing," but is to the point where I've been able to get in short jogs without tightness. I'm up to 3-mile jaunts at 8-minute pace ... it is amazing how quickly one can lose their fitness. Granted it has been 11 weeks since the injury occurred, but I feel like a highschool basketball player during the offseason, starting to get back in shape for the season. I know it won't take long once I can start running longer training runs without pain, but I've still got a long road to go before I hit the racing scene again.

The "hamstring pull" blues, positive outlook

I'm going into my 8th week of my hamstring pull injury. I can still feel it and I probably have another month to go, but I can definitely tell taht there has been improvement. If anything, this injury has allowed me to focus on other problem areas that I had been neglecting. I'm now more flexible, and I'm working on strengthing my core, by focusing on pushups, situps, and pull ups. I'm also cross training and strengthening the muscles around my knee, so when I do start running again, I will be ready to start piling on the miles again. I look at it as a much needed break.

Boston is "No Go" ...

I may not be running the Boston Marathon this year due to my hamstring pull, but I'm still going up there to cheer on my brother and party with friends. I will defer my time to next year, so if I decide to run it next year I can use my 2:34 time from last year. (Side note: I may run the Knoxville and Nashville Marathon's next spring, so Boston might be out of the picture all together). Anyways, back to the subject at hand, I'm disappointed, in that I put in more miles this season than I've ever put into a marathon training program and was in damn good shape, but I learned a lot about myself for the future. I will come back stronger from this injury, I know, especially in the area of flexibility. I will also incorporate strides more often after workouts, and add some sort of a strength program. Just putting in long weekly miles, without the necessary supplemental activities was what led to the injury in the first place. Wish me luck and I hope everyone is enjoying running for me while I heal.

Still down for the count...

As Boston fastly approaches, I'm still far from healed. I'm starting to fear the worst and at this moment, it will take a miracle to heal enough to be ready for the marathon. It's alright though, if that's the case. Injuries happen and there will be plenty more Bostons to run down the road. I'm focusing on cross-training and other leg exercises that I've been neglecting while running so much. I will come back stronger and ready to get my speed legs under me over the summer in preparation for Hood 2 Coast round 2 in August!