Periodization Week 1: 35.79K

Week 3 of light training is over. Am glad to report that it's been quite good thus far. Highlights of the week were the late afternoon tough runs at Lake Gardens on Tuesday (9.6K) and Wednesday (11.1K). Weather's been scorching of late and within the first K, my heart rate would have climbed to 70% MHR.

After being razed by the sun on Tuesday during which I did 3 lake loops and 1 Carcosa, I ran a shadier route on Wednesday. Started from the Bkt Aman Car Park then headed down to the National Mosque before hitting the lung-quad busting uphill at the Islamic Art Museum. Down past the Deer Park, hang left around the lake then the reverse Carcosa Hill, round the playground and back to the car park for a drink before heading the second loop.

I took Thursday and Friday off to rest and focus on clearing work. Saturday comprised of 11K and 4K, while poor weather waylaid my evening run plan. Fitness is pretty much still work in progress and I'm glad for it. I'd be concerned about getting through the workouts easily. It's not been easy, trust me, even if the volume and variety is standard stuff. I like it the way it is as this means that I've the luxury to slowly build the body up over the coming months and peak as close to the race as possible.

My goal for the Periodization Phase is max 30K weekly mileage. Ooops, looks like I busted it! Next week is the final periodization week before the start of 6 weeks of Base Phase. It's going to get more and more interesting!

Shoe Review: Nike Zoom Elite 3

My only experience with the Elite was the previous Elite 1 and 2, both of which were not only lighter that the 3 but featured less forefoot cushioning. The first and second versions, while widely liked, had durability issues.

To solve it, Nike increased the outsole thickness and as a result the weight went up by half and ounce. Naturally you can’t please everyone but the opinions are quite evenly distributed in the online forums. There were many who panned the increased weight of the shoe, but many liked the upgrade too. The Elite 3 were worn in training by Nike elites like Dathan Ritzenhein and Adam Goucher.

Having retired 2 pairs of Pegasus 2005, I was on the lookout for a lighter pair of go-fast training shoes that will double up as my marathon racing shoes. Choices were limited if you’re in the market for a lightweight yet stable (with a small medial post) shoe that’s cushioned enough for the longer distances. I found the asics DS Trainer too firm and flat for the marathon while I didn’t quite adapt to my Brooks Axiom 2. I found the Elite 3 on a big discount and since then it has become my favorite racing shoe for longer distances of 30K and above.

To read the rest of the review, hit this link.

Pre-Periodization Week 2: 29.85K

Still keeping to the light and easy theme, there was an increased in the weekly mileage even if the frequency of runs dropped.

The week's highlight was Saturday's first long run. I woke up at 4am and as usual the first thought that ran through my mind was "Here we go again!" but not with that kind of enthusiasm that precedes second helpings of ice-cream, mind you. Fueling was a slice of peanut butter bread with black coffee and after averaging 90km/h I reached the BA car park sharp at 5am. No other runners were there and while I got ready, Geraldine pulled up. 5 minutes later we were huffing off into the dark. I wore the blue-silver stability Nike Air Structure Triax 11+ (AST11+) as part of the breaking in process. On my right wrist was the Nike SportBand and the left wrist my Forerunner 205.

The effort were conversational and there wasn't much problem except for a spot of surprise at the Arabic School just before the Bukit Tunku hills. A dog which we didn't notice suddenly jumped out with a growl. We stood our ground and it didn't come any closer and reluctantly walked away still with some menace. That got the blood flowing a bit and we were definitely fully awaked after that! Kit's friend Fu Yee (hope I got his name right - thanks man!) generously provided us with some drinks at the Hartamas stop and we gulped down the H2O quickly and made our way back.

It got a bit chilly for me as we headed back - my shirt was soaked through. After crossing Jalan Duta and a road kill later, we ran into Ronnie and his band of runners (over 10 of them!) on their way to the 15K route. 30 minutes later I was back at the car park ready to take on another 4.5K with the RunnersMalaysia group. Now that second run was certainly tougher, indicative of my fitness level. But time is on my side and I'm glad to have maintained the slight momentum going into the actual 2-week Periodization Phase which starts tomorrow. Periodization Phase calls for more regular runs, with no single runs exceeding 20K. Weekly mileage peaks at 30K though I think I may not be able to stick to that number. We'll see.

I met with Wong, an EKIN with Nike, who was there to exchange the Pegasus 2007+ with the Zoom Elite 4+, which looks really great. Compared to the E3 (my PR shoe), the 4 has fewer overlays (good!), is Nike+ enabled (moving with times!) and reportedly lighter (great!). The most significant change is that there's no longer a full-length Zoom Air due to the accommodation of the Nike+ shoe sensor. I shall be reviewing the Elite 4 after the SportBand and AST 11+. I know there's quite a lot of cool gear to test out and that's certainly keeping my training very interesting indeed. Thanks once again to Nike for all the cool hardware. Check out my review of the Zoom Elite 3 here.

The Elite 3 (left) with the 4

Before I end this posting, I got the chance to test-run (OK only a few steps!) in the yet to be launched 9oz lime green Lunar Trainer (see image below). It felt like a pair of Frees with more cushioning. It's pillowy ride is different from Nike's super soft Vomero and all I can say for now is that it's revolutionary. The secret to achieving all that is via the use of Lunarlite foam which was developed by the aerospace industry. It's 30% lighter than Nike's Phylon (the company's hitherto lightweight midsole material). I'm really getting ahead of myself here but it's something to be really excited about in the later part of the year.

Pre-Periodization Week 1: 19.31K

Ran 4 days this week. Not bad although I kept all the workouts short. Total mileage is just a shade under 20K. Tried out several Nike apparels and they were all quite nice and certainly comfortable. Best is the Nike Pro compression tee. Not only it looks really good, it provides a snug fit that I like in a pair of running tights. Don't let the looks deceive you - it's definitely not hot. Ventilation is good and I may just wear this as a base layer in New York.

Another cool gear I'd the privilege of trialling is the Nike+ SportBand. This hip looking band does away with the need of an iPod to keep track of your workouts. You'll still need the shoe transmitter to be sure but with the iPod out of the equation, you're virtually wireless now. A review is definitely forthcoming.

With another week to the start of the Periodization Phase, I decided that it's time to break in the Air Structure Triax (AST) 11. The AST 11 is Nike+ enabled and is a big departure to the clunky ride of the 9, which I had a brief experience with. I tangoed with the 9 during the Nike+ preview last year. I'll also be writing more about this shoe in the near future.

Thank You!

 
My training and racing for a marathon will never be as better supported as for my Nov 2 race. Nike is generously supporting my gear and apparels needs (it's going to be cold there thus requiring unique gearing at least for me, coming from a tropical country) while Powerbar is providing the sports nutrition part with Triple Threat bars, Powergels and Recovery drinks. 

When I embark on the long and arduous training, I know that I'm well provided for and therefore hope that I'll be able to train my best. There are no goals to meet for these sponsors. It's now down to me. How well I'm able to run in 4.5 months' time is entirely up to my planning, training, and a large chunk of good luck.

I'd like to thank both Nike and Powerbar for their ready support in filling a large part of my training needs.

New York City Marathon Training Plan

Through the detailed logging of my training for my last 3 marathons, I've noticed that I'm able to sustain the intensity and mileage for only 2 weeks at any one time, before the mileage and quality of the runs take a dip. This 2-week up and 1-week down (2:1) cycle is perhaps the way my body and mind are responding to the stress. It also proves the need for a period of recovery and lower intensity following every 2 weeks of hard work.

 

While I've not drilled down to the details, I've finally completed the high level training plan. For a change I've incorporated a Periodization phase to ease into the program rather than jumping right into it. I recognize that the training will be tough, and rightfully so since doing a sub-4 meant running an average of 5:40 pace for 42K. Time will tell if I can carry it through. One thing's for sure. No matter what happens, I intend to treasure the entire experience. I don't feel any pressure at all with regards to the goal time. And that's a good thing.

 

Goal: To run a sub-4 marathon in New York on November 2nd.
End to end: 19 weeks
Commencement: 6/23

 

Periodization
Duration: 2 weeks
6/23 to 7/6
Focus: 3 to 4 runs a week with focus on enjoyment and relaxation, core strength
Goal: To get into the training psyche

Peak weekly mileage: 30K

 

Base
Duration: 6 weeks
7/7 to 8/17
Focus: Aerobic stage workouts, core strength, 1 short race
Goal: To be able to run comfortably for up to 20K
Peak weekly mileage: 55K

 

Mileage
Duration: 6 weeks
8/18 to 9/28
Focus: Variety, building up the mileage, core strength, staying healthy and injury free, 1 race
Goal: To be able to sustain the stress of mileage
Peak weekly mileage: 90K

 

Sharpening
Duration: 3 weeks
9/28 to 10/19
Focus: Hills, tempos, repeats, sandwich, long runs, race specific workouts, 1 race
Goal: To be able to sustain the combined stress of mileage and intensity
Peak weekly mileage: 85K

 

Tapering
Duration: 2 weeks
10/20 to 11/1
Focus: Staying loose and relaxed, healthy and settling last minute travel plans
Goal: Recover, recover, recover
Peak weekly mileage: 20K

 

RACE DAY!

Assembling The Training Gear

I was surprised when I checked the calendar just now. Suffice to say that working on a 4 and a half month training program, I won't have my 1-month sabbatical from training anymore. It's therefore timely to do a stock take on the apparel and gear department and design the training program. I'll leave the training program for a later post but here's what I'll be using for training and racing.

Shoes:
Nike Zoom Elite 3 (Racing)
Nike Air Structure Triax 11+
Nike Air Pegasus 2007+
Saucony Progrid Guide 5

Apparels:
Assorted

Socks:
Assorted. I also purchased a pair of Injinji toe socks in Singapore and will try them out in the later stages of my training

Timing:
Garmin Forerunner 205
Nike SportBand

Oh well, these couple of weeks off should still do me a world of good without turning me into a slob. Beware the Couch of Doom! 

Check These Items As Done!

I got quite a lot of things cleared up during my recent 1-week leave from work. The list included completing my 9th marathon, applying for the US Visitor Visa, and speaking to a few potential sponsors. Though my 9th was not a very memorable experience, I was eager to get it over with. Somehow running New York as my 10th appeals more than 9th, for sentimental reasons. Years down the road, you'd have remembered your 10th and not the 9th, don't you think so?

 

Unlike the Sundown Marathon experience, I cleared the Visa part quite smoothly. The interview was quite pleasant and when the the consular staff approved my application, she even wished me all the best and to also aim for Boston! I then decided to seek some sponsors for gear and nutritional supplementation to alleviate my personal expenses. Yes, it is an expensive affair! So far one has responded favourably while I'm awaiting another to revert.

 

Next task will hurt the pocket - paying for the air tickets. At RM4,400 (USD1,333), this payment will dent my savings quite a bit. I'll be posting more on this blog from now on, so do check back!