Whats after Portland race?
i was kind of skeptical because seattle marathon was 1.5 months after
Portland, recovering from an all out PB race kind of takes 26 days to be fully
able to recover from the previous race before attempting any high intensity
workout, i just relied upon the training plan given my way and kept going, no
issues per-se. Had a relatively quick recovery and all newly introduced
variations in my workouts were falling in place
Whats the target for Seattle Full Marathon?
This was the obvious question i had in mind and upon discussions with sunil, arrived at plans for the race, and all set with my 1.5 month training i headed onto the course. Had couple of my friends from my apartment community running half marathon which I wanted to be a bigger number than just two, but only two ended up running the race. I was stuck with some Hindi tutoring and had to skip the expo visit, my friends helped me get my bib and expo kit, a long trip averted. After a long day with 5 hours of tutoring, had to figure what needs to be set for the race and to fall in line with other domestic obligations.
Had to try out singlet and arm warmers attire for the race, hence ventured out for a half hour Zone 1 run at around 7 PM, was not so bad, hence decided go with the same attire for the race. After almost a month long aversion from a carb rich food, loaded myself with homemade pasta with a lot of coconut and Tofu added on to garnished with butter and coconut milk, I was pretty much carb overloaded :) and was constant sips of Fast N Up Reload for up to 2 liters since afternoon. All set with the great reasonably balanced dinner with carbs, fat and protein and well hydrated system, was all set with my race gear set up and was ready to hit bed around 10 PM.
Race Day
Managed to get a 6.5 hour sleep, though full marathon start was the last of all events at 8:15 AM, since was hopping on a ride to the start point, had to be ready for a 5:45 AM start. With nutrition trials being the primary motive, had time set for the same. Prepared a fruit smoothie with strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, topping it with coconut milk and butter amounting to around 600 ml. that was the planned meal early in the morning, which also aligned with 2.5 hours before start time. Had the smoothie and carried stuffs to be had at the start point.
The weather forecast for the day was 42 C with no rain with 86% humidity, hence the reason to choose a singlet with arm warmers, with glove and hat, while I stepped out the weather looked to be similar to the forecast, thanking the rain gods hopped on for a ride along with my friends, who had a 7:30 AM start for their Half marathon. Parked the car in a empty garage, waited for around 20 minutes in the car, fearing the cold gloomy weather out, at around 7:12 ventured out to the recovery area which was the only warm area we could get to. Finishing off the pre race etiquette :) got out to see my friends off for their half marathon start.
After seeing off them, had 45 minutes, ventured into the recovery area again, had my dosage of Beet Elite(beet powder mixed with water), got my baggage checked in and had a dose of Fast n Up Activate 30 minutes before the start time. Did couple of round of Surya Namaskar and ventured out for a quick 4 strides to warm up a bit. Sneaked around in between 3:15 and 3:25 pacer group, since I wanted to target a 3:20 given that its a super rolling hilly course and not much fitness to push to my best again in a month.
Race Start and solid plan
with this being a B race and wanted to try out options based on the inputs, went with the run walk strategy, plan was to confuse as many people with sudden stops who are tagging along behind me :), jokes apart, plan was to do a 10 minute run and easy jog 30 seconds and repeat until the finish with an ambitious negative split ask from my coach which I was mostly certain that I wouldn't be able to given the elevation profile of the course, yet started on a positive note. There you go the race starts at 8:14 a minute early of the planned start and here I go for yet another race, this time as a runner opposing to a pacer which I have done on this course for multiple times.
Mile 1 to Mile 12
The plan was to hit the half at around 1:36 or 1:37 and to try and push from thereon if possible to get a negative split, the math gets complicated when I have to also worry about 10 minute run and undefined 30 sec easy jog. which means I would do 20 such walk/easy breaks which over a 3:20 target is a clear 10 minute time which needs to be factored in my run segment, which eventually ended up in a pace for 3:10 during run legs which is 7:15 per mile to start with. The initial few miles were all rolling hills, with going across the iconic space needle, seattle monorail, up onto downtown district, a china town and climb onto the interstate 90 freeway. With all rolling hills and euphoria of people around was cruising at the desired state pace. managed to confuse enough people who never would expect me to stop and walk in between and they would zip past you and you play this catch up game :)
We stay on the interstate highway 90 for over 8 miles in which we go through the Longest man made tunnel under a soft surface twice in the race. Trying out the GPS with Glonass with my latest watch 735XT, there was absolutely no GPS signal loss inside the tunnel as opposing to few of my previous watches. By now I have been on nice rhythm. the weather is looking good wrt Seattle conditions and being honest, much better than the Portland weather which was 1.5 months prior. I could sense a good cadence coming along and was consciously doing nasal breathing without any extra effort otherwise.
Mile 13 - Mile 21
at around mile 11 we get off from the freeway through a so looking pedestrian exit off from I90 freeway to the location called Lake Washington boulevard, which by the way looks way awesome to ride around, obviously windy but good course to run along a big break from the freeway and city street.
Enjoying the beauty along the lake Washington boulevard, missed couple of instance of 30 seconds easy break after 10 minute run, only after I was into an conversation from one of my fellow runner from the Asha running group did I realize that I missed that break :) quickly gulped on a GU around that time frame and looked at my pace which looked good for a planned 1:36 or 1:37 half way point. We go around a small park by the name of Seward park which again in a nice serene place run around, with very few runners around me I could feel the dangling sound of my earring, that's the beauty or the meditative mode that run could take one to while running , that too in a race was a good experience.
right at the half way mark I was 1:36 change which was pretty close to what I had planned for and was happy enough that I did not go too fast.
From mile 13 onwards I know I was going to be gifted with various varieties of rolling hills and from that point on I kind of stopped looking at my current pace section which I was so keenly looking at and adjusting my pace to be around 7:15/mile pace. I was just recalling on how felt when i used to be pacing a 3:30 group 5 years back and how heavy i was and my early training runs along the same route with the chuckit group.
Now the focus was to cut along the corners since its a really windy route all long the lake Washington slowly winding towards the arboretum, Chinese garden and back to the downtown. The only motivation now for me to keep up to the best possible pace i could maintain was a set of East side runners, old male and girl trying to run and push each other. It was evident that the guy was struggling and this lady was trying to help him at every water station to grab additional cup of water or gaitorade and pulling him through the slow patches. These folks came in hand for me since the old guy would go fast and then stop and repeat it forever as much as i was doing my run walk deliberately.
What it started to be a sport spirited competition to pull off each other between us turned out to be pushing each other through the ever long rolling hills. The real climb started at around 19 miles, the comradeship between the groups helped each other to get past those daunting hills toward the much awaited Galer Street, which has the short spurt of crazy up climb, followed by Madison avenue turning towards the arboretum. At around mile 16, got to get a glimpse of Sridhar Madhugiri and Sridhar Dhandapanthula and the Junior asha team, helping aid the Junior Asha water station, Glad to see and hear cheers from the folks you know off, definitely a good push that i brings in you.
Mile 21 to Finish
While the rolling hills started at 19, the hills wouldn't stop coming all until mile 26 where we hit the last climb climbing up a newly constructed underpass before hitting the memorial stadium. After climbing Galer and madison which was altogether a 2 mile long climb, turning right towards the Chinese garden was some relief with some gradual downhill with soon to be expected long climb along the arboretum. This is the advantage and disadvantage of knowing the route, you know what is in store and you could plan for it, at the same time, you start worrying about the upcoming hills even before they come.
Anyways, now that old couple were pulling off alongside me, one another old dude with whom i was chatting about in the start line showed up from nowhere, he was now not wanting me to pass him :), he would start challenging me during flat and downhills, i would challenge him all the uphills, it was real fun, i just imagined the Microsoft/ISB hills for every hill i climbed along the route, particularly after mile 22 onward, then all these climbs felt like speed bumps :) , anyways constantly fueling myself with a GU gel every 40 minutes and not missed any water station was keeping my up with the nutrition part, though it was 42 F/5 C it was beaming up with 89% humidity around that area and time of the day, one would potentially not feel the thirst or dehydration, but i was taking in right amount of nutrition in the form or water/gaitorade and gel all along. perfectly no complaints on nutrition along the way and no GI issues whatsoever.
Around mile 23 was once used to be a water station put up by Chuckit running group, was eagerly looking forward to meet the running folkfore from that group, but much to disappointment, there wasn't that group but still an aid station was in spot.
Now i get past the I5 over a overbridge with cross winds and startin to drizzle strong on the face at that time around, i was least worried by then about my pace or weather, i know its a matter of nearly the distance of a 2 mile time trial, so just kept going strong with long strides and aiming to get kills of runners along the push.
At around 24 miles, i was worried about the upcoming downhill which i could see, for the first time in my running time frame, this was the first time i was worried to get a downhill, since my ankle was already sore by then and i doubted if it could take any hard pounding on that downhills, was super conservative enough down them. Now that old dude started passing me, i was literally waiting for one uphill to come :) to get him. Suddenly around mile 25 i heard my name loud and clear, but wasn't sure who thats going to be. Realized it was Tien Doan, from Chuckit group, instantly identifying and yelling at me.
Giving a high five, i approach the last downhill and vengance uphill to overtake that old dude, i see him 10 metres ahead approaching the last downhill, and i see the barricades put up on top of the hill few yards away towards the stadium to the home stretch. Now comes my friend of climb, where i just got the old guy overtaken thumbs down, pushing hard and getting to the home stretch with the name being called out and eventually entering the memorial stadium with great feel. Yet another race done written off with much of 12 seconds off target of my original target time of 3:20 to finish the race in 3:20:12.
Good set of learnings all along, with great positive improvement on my cadence all along brings in some solid vibes
STATISTICS
GRAPHS
MILE SPLITS
GARMIN ACTIVITY
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1463527043
STRAVA ACTIVITY
https://www.strava.com/activities/787529117/embed/5301e8d8354bac5cdba5bff44d55255b3be46973
CHANGES IMPLEMENTED SINCE LAST RACE
NUTRITION AROUND THE RACE
Just while i was wondering
as to what next to try
out after Portland race, i was posted with checkpoint plan to do couple of
races before my next A race in February to try out few stuffs in relation to
nutrition and run walk strategies. The default option for me was to pick the
upcoming local race in Seattle i.e Seattle Marathon 2016 was my default option,
for which i wouldn't have to travel and home turf, have paced multiple
editions, so just went with the registration 20 days after Portland marathon
and training was in place.
Whats the target for Seattle Full Marathon?
This was the obvious question i had in mind and upon discussions with sunil, arrived at plans for the race, and all set with my 1.5 month training i headed onto the course. Had couple of my friends from my apartment community running half marathon which I wanted to be a bigger number than just two, but only two ended up running the race. I was stuck with some Hindi tutoring and had to skip the expo visit, my friends helped me get my bib and expo kit, a long trip averted. After a long day with 5 hours of tutoring, had to figure what needs to be set for the race and to fall in line with other domestic obligations.
Had to try out singlet and arm warmers attire for the race, hence ventured out for a half hour Zone 1 run at around 7 PM, was not so bad, hence decided go with the same attire for the race. After almost a month long aversion from a carb rich food, loaded myself with homemade pasta with a lot of coconut and Tofu added on to garnished with butter and coconut milk, I was pretty much carb overloaded :) and was constant sips of Fast N Up Reload for up to 2 liters since afternoon. All set with the great reasonably balanced dinner with carbs, fat and protein and well hydrated system, was all set with my race gear set up and was ready to hit bed around 10 PM.
Race Day
Managed to get a 6.5 hour sleep, though full marathon start was the last of all events at 8:15 AM, since was hopping on a ride to the start point, had to be ready for a 5:45 AM start. With nutrition trials being the primary motive, had time set for the same. Prepared a fruit smoothie with strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, topping it with coconut milk and butter amounting to around 600 ml. that was the planned meal early in the morning, which also aligned with 2.5 hours before start time. Had the smoothie and carried stuffs to be had at the start point.
The weather forecast for the day was 42 C with no rain with 86% humidity, hence the reason to choose a singlet with arm warmers, with glove and hat, while I stepped out the weather looked to be similar to the forecast, thanking the rain gods hopped on for a ride along with my friends, who had a 7:30 AM start for their Half marathon. Parked the car in a empty garage, waited for around 20 minutes in the car, fearing the cold gloomy weather out, at around 7:12 ventured out to the recovery area which was the only warm area we could get to. Finishing off the pre race etiquette :) got out to see my friends off for their half marathon start.
After seeing off them, had 45 minutes, ventured into the recovery area again, had my dosage of Beet Elite(beet powder mixed with water), got my baggage checked in and had a dose of Fast n Up Activate 30 minutes before the start time. Did couple of round of Surya Namaskar and ventured out for a quick 4 strides to warm up a bit. Sneaked around in between 3:15 and 3:25 pacer group, since I wanted to target a 3:20 given that its a super rolling hilly course and not much fitness to push to my best again in a month.
Race Start and solid plan
with this being a B race and wanted to try out options based on the inputs, went with the run walk strategy, plan was to confuse as many people with sudden stops who are tagging along behind me :), jokes apart, plan was to do a 10 minute run and easy jog 30 seconds and repeat until the finish with an ambitious negative split ask from my coach which I was mostly certain that I wouldn't be able to given the elevation profile of the course, yet started on a positive note. There you go the race starts at 8:14 a minute early of the planned start and here I go for yet another race, this time as a runner opposing to a pacer which I have done on this course for multiple times.
Mile 1 to Mile 12
The plan was to hit the half at around 1:36 or 1:37 and to try and push from thereon if possible to get a negative split, the math gets complicated when I have to also worry about 10 minute run and undefined 30 sec easy jog. which means I would do 20 such walk/easy breaks which over a 3:20 target is a clear 10 minute time which needs to be factored in my run segment, which eventually ended up in a pace for 3:10 during run legs which is 7:15 per mile to start with. The initial few miles were all rolling hills, with going across the iconic space needle, seattle monorail, up onto downtown district, a china town and climb onto the interstate 90 freeway. With all rolling hills and euphoria of people around was cruising at the desired state pace. managed to confuse enough people who never would expect me to stop and walk in between and they would zip past you and you play this catch up game :)
We stay on the interstate highway 90 for over 8 miles in which we go through the Longest man made tunnel under a soft surface twice in the race. Trying out the GPS with Glonass with my latest watch 735XT, there was absolutely no GPS signal loss inside the tunnel as opposing to few of my previous watches. By now I have been on nice rhythm. the weather is looking good wrt Seattle conditions and being honest, much better than the Portland weather which was 1.5 months prior. I could sense a good cadence coming along and was consciously doing nasal breathing without any extra effort otherwise.
Mile 13 - Mile 21
at around mile 11 we get off from the freeway through a so looking pedestrian exit off from I90 freeway to the location called Lake Washington boulevard, which by the way looks way awesome to ride around, obviously windy but good course to run along a big break from the freeway and city street.
Enjoying the beauty along the lake Washington boulevard, missed couple of instance of 30 seconds easy break after 10 minute run, only after I was into an conversation from one of my fellow runner from the Asha running group did I realize that I missed that break :) quickly gulped on a GU around that time frame and looked at my pace which looked good for a planned 1:36 or 1:37 half way point. We go around a small park by the name of Seward park which again in a nice serene place run around, with very few runners around me I could feel the dangling sound of my earring, that's the beauty or the meditative mode that run could take one to while running , that too in a race was a good experience.
right at the half way mark I was 1:36 change which was pretty close to what I had planned for and was happy enough that I did not go too fast.
From mile 13 onwards I know I was going to be gifted with various varieties of rolling hills and from that point on I kind of stopped looking at my current pace section which I was so keenly looking at and adjusting my pace to be around 7:15/mile pace. I was just recalling on how felt when i used to be pacing a 3:30 group 5 years back and how heavy i was and my early training runs along the same route with the chuckit group.
Mile 21 to Finish
While the rolling hills started at 19, the hills wouldn't stop coming all until mile 26 where we hit the last climb climbing up a newly constructed underpass before hitting the memorial stadium. After climbing Galer and madison which was altogether a 2 mile long climb, turning right towards the Chinese garden was some relief with some gradual downhill with soon to be expected long climb along the arboretum. This is the advantage and disadvantage of knowing the route, you know what is in store and you could plan for it, at the same time, you start worrying about the upcoming hills even before they come.
Anyways, now that old couple were pulling off alongside me, one another old dude with whom i was chatting about in the start line showed up from nowhere, he was now not wanting me to pass him :), he would start challenging me during flat and downhills, i would challenge him all the uphills, it was real fun, i just imagined the Microsoft/ISB hills for every hill i climbed along the route, particularly after mile 22 onward, then all these climbs felt like speed bumps :) , anyways constantly fueling myself with a GU gel every 40 minutes and not missed any water station was keeping my up with the nutrition part, though it was 42 F/5 C it was beaming up with 89% humidity around that area and time of the day, one would potentially not feel the thirst or dehydration, but i was taking in right amount of nutrition in the form or water/gaitorade and gel all along. perfectly no complaints on nutrition along the way and no GI issues whatsoever.
Now i get past the I5 over a overbridge with cross winds and startin to drizzle strong on the face at that time around, i was least worried by then about my pace or weather, i know its a matter of nearly the distance of a 2 mile time trial, so just kept going strong with long strides and aiming to get kills of runners along the push.
At around 24 miles, i was worried about the upcoming downhill which i could see, for the first time in my running time frame, this was the first time i was worried to get a downhill, since my ankle was already sore by then and i doubted if it could take any hard pounding on that downhills, was super conservative enough down them. Now that old dude started passing me, i was literally waiting for one uphill to come :) to get him. Suddenly around mile 25 i heard my name loud and clear, but wasn't sure who thats going to be. Realized it was Tien Doan, from Chuckit group, instantly identifying and yelling at me.
Giving a high five, i approach the last downhill and vengance uphill to overtake that old dude, i see him 10 metres ahead approaching the last downhill, and i see the barricades put up on top of the hill few yards away towards the stadium to the home stretch. Now comes my friend of climb, where i just got the old guy overtaken thumbs down, pushing hard and getting to the home stretch with the name being called out and eventually entering the memorial stadium with great feel. Yet another race done written off with much of 12 seconds off target of my original target time of 3:20 to finish the race in 3:20:12.
Good set of learnings all along, with great positive improvement on my cadence all along brings in some solid vibes
STATISTICS
GRAPHS
MILE SPLITS
GARMIN ACTIVITY
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1463527043
STRAVA ACTIVITY
https://www.strava.com/activities/787529117/embed/5301e8d8354bac5cdba5bff44d55255b3be46973
CHANGES IMPLEMENTED SINCE LAST RACE
- Dependency on fat increased, with occasional grain/rice/rice variants(Dosa/idli etc...) were totally stopped
- Cut down on sugar and substituted with Honey for use with Tea.
- Lunch was all just veggies with more green leaves, topped with Coconut garnishing and liberal serving of Cheese
- Continue One day fasting on resting days, this time replacing normal water with hot water during the fasting day.
- No sweets/deserts or other forms of sugar including sugar rich fruits
- Replaced whole milk with coconut milk in my breakfast smoothies
- Newly introduced high speed in gym cadence concentrated runs
- coupled with plyometric workouts
- 10 minute run and 30 second easy pattern followed through the race
- Ended up with 1.5 % reduction of fat in 1.5 months
- Few rounds of surya namaskar before getting to venture out for the runs.
NUTRITION AROUND THE RACE
- no carbs of any form beyond the veggies until the night before the race
- Equal amount of pasta, Tofu and Coconut, garnished with butter and coconut milk for dinner the day before the race
- Race day morning 3 hours before the race, fruit smoothie (strawberry, rasberry, blueberry, Banana + Coconut Milk + Butter) - 600 ml
- BeetElite powder mixed with 250 ml water 45 minutes before the race
- FastAndUp Activate mixed with 250 ml water 30 minutes before the race
- 1 Salted Caramel Gu Gel with sips of water 15 minutes before the race
- Sips of gaitorade and water at all aid stations, with occasional dropped cups in stations
- One gel every 40 minutes during the race
- 250 ml water with FastAndUp Recover
- 250 ml water mixed with Storme Extreme Whey Protein 20 minutes after the finish
- Couple of cups of Dole Peach dipped in Sugar syrup
- Hot chocolate milk 100 ml
It was yet another overwhelming learning experience in various forms as a race and changes implemented towards the race, with great inputs/advice coming from sunil and some extracts from MAFs diet recipe from his website. Of course the continued support from dear family and allowing me to put up with the much more crazy diet restrictions and never ending training and races. Looking forward positively towards my A race in February with implementations based on learning from this race.
