So, you’ve taken the plunge and signed up for the NorCal or Morgan Hill Half Marathon or Marathon as your big goal race for the fall. Your “A” race. With many weeks of training still ahead I recommend scheduling in some other races before the big one. For two reasons, one, to keep yourself motivated to train in the short term and, two, to better prepare yourself physically and mentally.

Nothing prepares you for racing like racing. You can expose your body to that high intensity effort that is difficult to recreate in training. It also prepares you for all the extra stresses of race day that aren’t usually present when you jog out the door for a run on a Sunday morning: registration, running with a group around you, negotiating the porta potty line etc.

However, you don’t want to race so much you are burned out and sick of it by the time your A race comes around. I would plan a race every 4-6 weeks over the summer of distances between 5K - 21K for the marathon and 5 - 15K for the half marathon. I would schedule my last race 6-8 weeks before the marathon and 3-4 weeks before the half marathon. You want to leave plenty of time to recover from this last tune up and still have time to build a nice training period before resting up for your goal race.

Check the SVE event calendar for races you could sign up for and if you have more questions please join me in the dedicated event forum.

If you are looking for coaching adapted to your specific needs please contact me at www.tricoachmartin.com 

As most of you know we like to send out a series of Did you know emails the week leading up to the kids events. This benefits experienced parents and kids and beginners.

Registration is open here: Link

Map is up here: Link

We can always use volunteers on the bike and run course. Please email greg@svendurance.com .

Did you know?

1. This event will be held at the beautiful College of San Mateo Aquatic Center.

2. Transition opens at 6:30 am for setup and will be open until 8:15 am.

3. We have two volunteers in the transition area to help with setup if you have any questions.

4. We do allow 1 parent in transition, but you must stay clear of the other kids.

5. On the bike and run course we will be using slap bracelets for this event. Your kids MUST stop and get one for each lap. It's fair because each kids stops. Parents are not to yell at the volunteers in this area.

6. We do not have a bike technician at this event, but we will have extra supplies, tools, and a pump there for you. If you need anything see the tent near the transition area.

Thanks!

Just back from Boston and New York.  We had a great time having never been back there.  Went to all the typical tourist traps. 

My trip started out very difficult.  I have been nursing a sore Soleus (lower calf) since the Woodside Trail Run.  I could not fly before the event because we were hired to time the Reservoir Triathlon for Threshold Racing.  Big event I could not miss.  So reluctantly Debbie flew in on Saturday with Trinity (Aunt debbie met them there), and picked up my bib.

I had an event to time on Saturday and on Sunday my day started at 4:00am.  I tried to rest as much as I could over the weekend, but it was tough.  My diet (as you all know I'm picky about) was thrown out without Debbie there.  Sunday night my redeye flight was delayed.  I had to call Debbie back east at midnight to tell her I may not make the start.

Since I knew my calf would be trouble I started on Advil on Saturday to load up.  I never, ever take medication so it works for me.  Debbie met me at the airport at 7:30 with a driver to take me to the start line.  She had a coffee and a egg sandwich.  I put down what I could.  2 more Advil.  Yes my intention was to hide the injury.

I reached the start line at 9:45.  15 minutes!!  Used the porto potty and off.  I would say it's pretty easy to get sucked in going down those start hills.  My pace was good at 22:15 per 5k.  About 7:15 per mile.  I felt good until about mile 6 I noticed my legs just felt fatigued.  It was all catching up to me.  I started feeling the calf. 

Further in the race the heat started getting to me.  Sunburned on one side of my body.  With this great tailwind behind us, It seemed like we were never cooling down.  I was having to double dip at the aid stations to dump one on my head.  I felt hot.  By the last hill, I was getting killed with the calf muscle.  Thankfully after that it's mostly down to the finish.

I finished in 3:19.  About 10 minutes over my goal.  But given the circumstances, I'm happy.  It was really just the beginning of our vacation.  The hills did catch me off guard.  I still need to learn respect for the distance.

The support along the course was second to none.  No Ironman compares.  26.2 miles of people yelling at the top of their lungs at you.  They drowned out my IPOD at the finish stretch.

Couple of days in Boston and then off to New York.  I had a very, very hard time simply walking.  One day it was actually embarrassing the calf was so bad I did not want to wear my Boston shirt.

New York is a beast.  Great time visiting, but not my thing to go again.  I'll take the tropical stuff.

I have received some emails regarding results for the SC Half Marathon/10k and the Wildflower run.  The results are posted on http://www.svetiming.com .  They are always up within an hour of the event.

Well I have been bad about updating my blogs lately so I thought I would go back and get some race updates in. 

March 26th I ran the Pc Trail Runs 35k (22 miles), in preparation for the Boston Marathon.  Coach Martin has done my training this year and I was feeling pretty good going in.  I had just finished the Slowtwitch 100 run challenge (100 runs in 100 days) with 103 run in 100 days and 603 total miles over that time.

Wke up Saturday morning to pouring rain.  I must admit I was sooo tempted to blow it off.  But I knew I needed a good, super hard run before Boston.  So we went up. The conditions were laughable.  It was simply pouring.  The trails were rivers.  I had never run up in Woodside. 

Our course took us up hill for about 11 miles then back down.  Out and back.  Basically up from Woodside to Skyline and back. 

I knew I did not want to be at the back hitting the single track.  So I hammered and hit the single track in about 10th.  We ran down for about 1 mile before the hills started.  Since we started with the 17k people and behind the 10k people it was hard to get an idea about position.  I felt like I was close to up front at 4 miles.  We were in the steep stuff and it seemed to suit me.  I figured at the 17k turn around I would know where i'm at.

At the 17k turn around aid station 2 people turned around and ran back at me.  So I was only a couple of seconds behind them.  So I knew I was sitting pretty good in the 35k afterall who would hammer that early.  I figured I was close to the front.

I took in a gel and a salt pill every 30 minutes.  I kept hammering away at the muddy course.  There were so many obstacles.  Down trees, rivers, mud, etc..

At the half way point, I took off my radio, grabbed a cookie and looked at the guy "I am in first place, right?"  "I think so"  How could they not know if anyone had been up?  Oh well, I took off back.  Once I started getting all the people yelling at me to rock it, or your leading, I knew I was in the lead at the half by about 2 minutes. 

But down hill is not my strength.  I continued to run hard.  I started getting a right hamstring issue and a left lower calf issue.  WTF?  No way I'm giving this up.  I started hearing ghost runners behind me.  :).  My last mile was a 6:20.  I finished feeling really good, but the left calf was very, very bad.

My time was 3:13, the next guy crossed nearly 5 minutes behind.  So there were no ghost runners.  My first overall win.

In the next 2 weeks I had to nurse the calf.  So yes I did pay for it. See my Boston blog for more.

We are looking for a few more volunteers for tomorrows Kids Triathlon in San Jose at Willow Glen.  If you can help you will receive a discount to any race we handle this year.  Including the Morgan Hill Marathon.

We need 3-4 safety monitors on the bike and run course.  7:45 to 10:30 am.

Email greg@svendurance.com.

Thanks

Well we saw many of our runners out at the Modesto Marathon and Half. Boy was that tough to time in those conditions! Good job to each of you.

Upcoming Running Events

Please check out these events:
AAUW Wildflower 5 and 10k - Sunday April 10th in Morgan Hill, Ca. Fast, Fast , Fast course.
Santa Cruz Half Marathon and 10k - Sunday April 10 in Santa Cruz, CA. The best scenery around. Almost Sold Out!
Willow Glen 5k - Saturday May 7th Willow Glen, San Jose, CA. Run down Lincoln Ave!!! Fast and flat!
Race Against Pediatric Obesity - May 21 in Gilroy, CA. Run down downtown Gilroy. Great park, fun event. Kids can race on bicycles as well. All proceedsbenfit Kids Wellness and Health.

We will be at both these events with our high powered vibe.

Upcoming Triathlon Events

Please check out these events:
Jenny's Light Kids Triathlon Series- Sunday April 3rd in San Jose, Ca. Fun for your kids and very rewarding.
Threshold Racing Reservoir Triathlon - Sunday April 17 in Morgan Hill, CA. One of the best local Triathlons around. Get in now!

Register with either of these two events with the code 'sve' and receive 10% off. Spread the word. Suport your local events. Why leave town when the best is here?

Morgan Hill Marathon News

Register for the Morgan Hill Marathon or Half now using the promo code of 'special' and receive 12% off. This special will expire in 7 days. Receive the best medals of any event! it's a 5 star event. Check the reviews.

The start order is posted here: Link Please check in early enough to be ready.

Please beware of a few items:

1. The parking is BEHIND Live Oak High School on Half Road. 
2. The Porta Potty is right inside school grounds near the baseball field.
3. We will have breakfast burritos and coffee.
4. Very important - The course is open to traffic.  You cross one 3-way stop sign.  We will have someone there to help guide traffic.  Also the right turn onto Condit from Main is a light.  Please be careful there.  All the turns are right turns, look for the cones.  We did have a crash last year so be careful.
5. The start is right near the parking area, down the block a bit it appears as if there is still some dirt on the road from the recent rain.  Be careful.

The next event will likely be April 2 or April 9.  See you tomorrow.

Thanks
Greg

The Time Trial map is up on the event page.  Please review.  This is great prep for the USA Productions South Bay Duathlon on March 13th. 

This event is limited to 30 indivuduals.

Thanks

SVE

Important News and Upcoming Events

Please check out these events:
Jenny's Light 5k and 10k - Sunday March 6th in Los Gatos.
Jenny's Light Kids Splash and Dash - Part of the series - Saturday March 12th in Morgan Hill.

We will be at both these events with our high powered vibe.

You can register for either with a promotion code of 'sve' for a discount of 10%.

Morgan Hill Marathon News

Register for the Morgan Hill Marathon or Half now using the promo code of 'special' and receive 12% off. This special will expire in 7 days. Receive the best medals of any event! it's a 5 star event. Check the reviews.

Training Camps

Triathlon coach Martin Spierings and running coach Aaron Jacobsen are hosting a training camp at the Costanoa Lodge over the Presidents Day weekend on the 20th and 21st of February. This camp will be designed to give you a solid foundation for the spring and summer races ahead in a pristine training environment. Click here for more information.