The Evolution of 2:42

My first marathon was a 4:07. My twelfth was a 2:42. How did I get there? Presenting: "The Evolution: An oversimplified look at how my training, goals, and lifestyle changed over ten years and twelve marathons."

As you’ll see there were some big jumps (namely the first one) and lots of smaller ones. I didn’t go from over four hours to under three overnight. I slowly chiseled away at my time, making new short-term and long-term goals as I went. Sometimes a big chunk would come off, but more often it was a small shard.

I chiseled away at other things, too. My first marathon was in college, fueled largely by burritos, beer, and too little sleep. I’ve slowly improved my nutrition over the years, to the point where I no longer chug Diet Coke all day and focus on getting a healthy serving of vegetables at every meal. (I’ve found it most essential to focus on vegetables; proteins and carbs come pretty easily with most typical meals. And I love fruit so I easily hit my quota there.) I’ve also focused on sleeping more, reminding myself (sometimes nightly) of its importance to training and racing well.

1. Charlottesville Marathon, April 2005

Goal: Finish

Training changes: The first marathon means longer runs than ever before. I didn’t worry about time or pace, just on getting in the distance.

Weekly mileage average: As proof of my inexperience, I’m not sure I kept a log or counted miles. I do know I started off with a training plan, and I diligently did most of my long runs each weekend, but I also remember skipping an awful lot of weekday runs in favor of sleep.

Best workout: On my first (and only) twenty-miler, I ran by a man working in his lawn. Hours later, I passed by again. “Are you still running!? How far are you going??” I proudly responded, “Twenty miles.” The shock on his face powered me through the final stretch. This is what it’s like to be a marathoner.

Biggest challenge: Running 26.2 miles…

Result: 4:07:12 (9:26 pace), completely satisfied and proud.

An amateur in a plain old cotton tee. Charlottesville 2005.

2. Baystate Marathon, October 2008

A goal: Qualify for Boston (3:40 back then, 8:25 pace), B goal: PR

Training changes: With a time goal in mind, I started caring about the pace of my long runs and added some tempo workouts.

Weekly mileage average: I definitely think I calculated mileage at this point, but apparently didn’t save my notes. (I still didn’t fathom how long this obsession would last.) 

Best workout: I started running long runs at goal pace, around 8 minute miles. (I’ve since honed my running knowledge quite a bit more, and that strategy is not recommended. I now do marathon pace runs only every few weeks and not for the entire duration of the run, see below.)

Biggest challenge: Run a marathon with some semblance of pace. I had over 27 minutes to slash to nab a BQ, and I often reminded myself (and family and friends) that it could take a few tries.

Result: 3:28:38 (7:58 pace), BQ by 11+ minutes, PR by 38+ minutes. Ecstatic.

On my way to my first BQ. Baystate 2008.

3. Boston Marathon, April 2009

A goal: Sub 3:20, B goal: PR

Training changes: I did more twenty milers (that often included part of the Boston course), going from doing one per season to three.

Weekly mileage average: 36 Highest week: 45

Best workout: My first half-marathon, a 1:34:39, which predicted a 3:18 marathon.

Biggest challenge: Battled some ankle issues, spent 3 weeks in January cross training

Result: 3:18:49 (7:35 pace), PR by almost 10 minutes. Pleased.

Finishing my first--but certainly not last--Boston. 2009

Side-note from my journal after this race: “[Thinking about new goals and how far I can take this] Could I get under 3:00? If I could, I bet I could win (or give a serious shot to winning) a small, unpopular marathon. And if I got that, I would have to give a serious shot to getting a 2:48 [the 2008 standard, I didn’t know it would get harder] and qualifying for the Olympic Trials. Yea, yea, yea, it’s CRAZY and that is a really impossibly* hard goal … I'll probably never get there, but if it drives me to win a race or to slowly get closer and closer to 3:00 then I'll take it.”

*Dear 2009 Teal: Never say something's impossible. (See marathons 7, 9, and 12 for how accurate this prediction turned out to be.)

4. New York City Marathon, November 2009

A goal: Sub 3:10 B goal: Sub 3:15

Training changes: I bumped my mileage slightly (tried to average 50 miles per week) and added track workouts.

Weekly mileage average: 44 Highest week: 57

Best workout: One week in October I did 10X800s, averaging 3:08 (“Yasso 800s,” predicts a 3:08 marathon), on Tuesday and an 8 mile tempo run at 6:46 pace on Thursday. I drew a smiley face in my log that week.

Biggest challenge: During the summer I moved to DC for graduate school, but first lived in a rodent-infested apartment where I got no sleep. I moved out by September, but had a string of workouts where I tripped and fell. I blame exhaustion for making my already shuffling stride worse, to the point where my feet barely came off the ground and I tripped often and brutally. (I even ended up tripping and falling in the race, just to give the season a sense of continuity.) 

Result: 3:18:29 (7:35 pace), PR by 20 seconds, but upset.

Scraped up as usual. NYC 2009.

5. National Marathon, March 2010 (now Rock-n-Roll USA)

A goal: Sub 3:05, B goal: Sub 3:10

Training changes: Tried to get better about lifting and doing core work. (Something I still struggle with.)

Weekly Mileage Average: 42 Highest Week: 56

Best workout: Yasso 800s with 3:05 average

Biggest challenge: DC’s infamous “Snowpocalypse.” It snowed repeatedly and massively (for DC, which was ill-prepared to deal with it). My log is a string of curses about the snow.

Result: 3:14:45 (7:26 pace), PR by 4 minutes, but a little bummed.

At least race day was snow-free. DC 2010.

6. Chicago Marathon, October 2010

A goal: Sub 3:05, B goal: Sub 3:10

Training changes: Bumped my mileage again and started doing doubles one day a week.

Weekly mileage average: 60 Highest week: 69

Best workout: Broke 1:30 for the half marathon (predicts a 3:06 marathon) and averaged 2:59 for Yasso 800s.

Biggest challenge: The training went relatively well, but race day was hot (mid-80s). I stupidly went out hard anyway (3:05 pace at halfway) and paid for it, brutally. 

Result: 3:20:16 (7:39 pace), the first marathon I did not PR. Devastated.

Hot, hot, hot. Chicago 2010.

7. Boston Marathon, April 2011

A goal: Sub 3:00 (6:52 pace)…. I didn’t have a B goal; I wanted a 2:59 and nothing else.

Training changes: I started using the training plans in Advanced Marathoning. (I’ve used them ever since, tweaking them only ever so slightly.)

Weekly mileage average: 63 Highest week: 70

Best workout: Advanced Marathoning gave me the structure for my marathon pace workouts. I did 8 miles at pace (15 total with warm up and cool down) in January and 12 miles (20 total) at 6:56 pace in March. I also broke 6 for the mile for the first time in my life.

Biggest challenge: The challenge was mental: getting over Chicago and believing a 15-minute PR was possible.

Result: 2:59:30 (6:51 pace), a PR by 15 minutes. Ecstatic.

Going for sub-3. Boston 2011. 

8. Chicago Marathon, October 2011

A goal: Sub 2:55, B goal: PR/redemption for 2010 Chicago

Training changes: I didn’t seem to change much here. Was I so happy with breaking 3 that I got complacent? That seems doubtful, but the plan looks similar to the previous season.

Weekly mileage average: 65 Highest week: 71

Best workout: 10 miles at 6:47 (18 total) in August, track workouts went pretty well.

Biggest challenge: Looking back at my workouts, none of them were stellar. A half marathon in early September went terribly.

Result: 2:55:35 (6:42 pace), PR by almost 4 minutes. Pretty pleased.

Back for redemption. Chicago 2011.

9. Charlottesville Marathon, April 2012

A goal: Win, B goal: Sub 2:50… changed to just PR-ing after I saw the hills the day before

Training changes: No more complacency. I cranked up my mileage again (went to the next level in Advanced Marathoning) and only took a day off every 2-3 weeks. I also made my marathon pace workouts hillier.

Weekly mileage average: 74 Highest week: 81

Best workout: 12 marathon pace miles (18 total) at 6:42. Also did a 20 miler with 14 marathon paced miles (my longest yet) but wasn’t so pleased with the pace (6:49).

Biggest challenge: An incredibly hilly course, all the other women in the race.

Result: 2:53:10 (6:37 pace), 1^st place, 2+ minute PR. Thrilled.

Winning. (The clock is wrong.) Charlottesville 2012.

10. Boston Marathon, April 2013

A goal: Sub 2:48, B goal: Sub 2:50

Training changes: In the summer of 2012 I joined GRC. I spent the fall trying to improve my times at shorter distances; this was my first marathon with the team.

Weekly mileage average: 78 Highest week: 85

Best workout: I broke 1:22 for the half marathon, a week after running an 8k as a workout. I did the 8k (~5 miles) at 6:04 pace and was feeling confident.

Biggest challenge: I reworked my training plan to align more with teammates, planning to cut my longest effort at pace from 14 to 12. But in reality, I never even made it to 12, as I had stomach issues that day and called it at 8. I also struggled with insomnia leading up to the race. Looking back at this training block, I think I was in great half marathon shape, but not great full marathon shape.

Result: 2:52:35 (6:35 pace), PR by 35 seconds. Really bummed. (But quickly overtaken by other emotions on that horrible day.) 

A day ending in many tears. Boston 2013.

11. Boston Marathon, April 2014

A goal: Sub 2:46, B goal: Sub 2:48 (I was sure I would at least break 2:50.)

Training changes: Coming back from my hip injury, I went back to less mileage and taking one day completely off each week.

Weekly mileage average: 64 Highest week: 72

Best workout: My longest marathon pace effort was 12 miles (18 total) at 6:24 pace (equates to a 2:47 marathon). I was psyched.

Biggest challenge: Coming back from injury, with less of a build up then usual. Still, the workouts seemed to tell me I was ready for something big.

Result: 2:58:37 (6:49 pace), the second time I did not PR in a marathon. Devastated.

A disappointing, dehydrating day. Boston 2014.

12. California International Marathon, December 2014

A goal: Sub 2:43, qualify for the Trials, B goal: None. Sub-2:43 or bust.

Training changes: I put my faith back in longer marathon pace workouts. I also started doing yoga more often and foam-rolling every day.

Weekly mileage average: 70 Highest week: 83

Best workout: 16 mile marathon pace run at 6:12 (22 miles total)

Biggest challenge: A poor showing at the Philly Half set me back psychologically… I took a few days off and cut down my mileage to try to get some bounce back.

Result: 2:42:13 (6:12 pace), Trials qualifier, 10+ minute PR. Ecstatic.

Achieving the dream. CIM 2014.

The most encouraging story from that progression is that there’s power in disappointment. Two of my biggest PRs (Boston 2011, by 15 minutes, and CIM, by 10 minutes) came right after my biggest failures (the two marathons I did not PR, Chicago 2010 and Boston 2014). Defeat can be a powerful motivator. Like an old football rivalry, you don’t want your enemy to get the best of you again, so you fight harder and do everything possible to come out on top.

Also, as I chiseled my time down, I sculpted my training to what works for me. Yasso 800s—while wildly popular in some running circles—don’t work for me (or at least don’t predict correctly), but long, steady efforts at pace do. (This makes sense, as Renato Canova, the famous coach of Kenyan marathoners, often discusses. Workouts with paces close to marathon pace are far more important than those farther away; i.e. a workout at marathon pace matters more than a track workout at a much faster pace.)

You have to find what works for you. I remember frequently thinking that there was no way I (or anyone) could make it to the Trials on less than 90 miles per week. The women who compete in the Trials just seemed too amazingly fit and fast to be running anything less. I like running higher mileage and kept trying to bump it up to something that seemed “Trials-worthy”, but in the end, I made it on 70 miles a week. Don’t be intimidated or discouraged by what others are doing (or what you think others are doing). Everyone is different; what works for someone else might not work you.

That’s how I made my goal. How will you?

Dream big,

Teal

Marathon Match-up: Boston vs. Chicago vs. NY

In honor of Boston Marathon weekend, I thought I’d do a little head to head match up of the American Marathon Majors: Boston, Chicago, and NY. I considered a whole slew of different factors that go into a great marathon experience but I admit this is largely based on my opinion and my own experiences when I’ve run these races. (Although I did do some serious Googling of weather, prices, etc.) Feel free to completely disagree and/or leave your opinions in the comments section below.

Registration/Getting in

Boston: Famously the only marathon you need to qualify for, making some people call it the everyman’s Olympics. BQs just got harder: Men under 40 need to run a 3:05 and women a 3:35.

Chicago: Registration has closed faster every year the last few years, closing in a record 31 days this year.

NY: Works by a lottery system. Everyone signs up by mid-April and participants are randomly picked. Being from South Dakota or Bangladesh helps. There is a roughly 1:10 shot of getting picked.

Edge to: Chicago. You can always get in, provided your Internet connection is fast.

 2009 NY Poster

Swag (aka free stuff)

Boston: Long-sleeve dry-fits with Boston Marathon and the year down one side. Shirts from the years I ran (2009 and 2011) are hi-lighter yellow. Other years are more attractive colors. The posters have every participant’s name in very small letters over classic images from the race and the finish. (The jackets, which are NOT free, are a cherished symbol among runners of qualifying.)

Chicago: Short-sleeve dry-fits. 2010’s was red with the words “Bank of America Chicago Marathon 10.10.10” in a white box. 2011’s was white, with “Bank of America Chicago Marathon” over a white star. They are incredibly plain. The posters have had pictures of some of the runners whose stories they highlight. It’s a nice gesture but they are a little too focused on those people and hard to consider as memorabilia from your personal experience.

NY: Posters and shirts from the only year I ran (2009) have an image of the NYC skyline where the buildings are made of the names of the places, streets, and bridges you run through. One of my favorite T-shirts ever.

Edge to: NY. In huge, expensive races like these it seems like there should be a graphic artist to design cool posters and shirts. Chicago’s are as plain as my local 5k’s. Boston’s are better, but the best part (the jackets) you have to shell out more money for.

Costs
*Registration fees only. Hotels/food/flights not included but will be expensive for all three.

Boston: $150

Chicago: $150

NY: $255

Edge to: I trust you can figure this one out on your own.

The Course

2009: With my new jacket, in front of
the infamous course map.

Boston: Until recently, considered to be a tough course, mainly for the Newton hills that culminate in the notorious Heartbreak Hill at mile 21. In the last few years, due to incredibly bold Kenyans and a helpful tailwind, this thinking changed when the world’s fastest time was set there. (It didn’t count as a world record due to the net downhill and tailwind. This hadn’t been an issue since 1947.) Course records: men: 2:03:02, women: 2:20:43.

Chicago: Flat and fast. In the last thirty years, all world records set on American soil were set here. And they count. Course record: men: 2:05:37, women: 2:17:18

NY: The bridges are the hills, from the start going up the Verrazano Bridge to the finish through the rolling hills of Central Park. Probably the hardest of these three. Course record: men: 2:05:05, women: 2:22:31

Edge to: Chicago.

Training

Boston: You have to train through the winter, which means a lot of dark and cold runs. You also should emphasize downhill running with some strategically placed uphills.

Chicago: No hill training required! And you can train in the summer. (This will also help you get acclimated to the heat, which can be a factor, see below.)

NY: You can train in the summer, but need to search out some hills.

Edge to: Chicago.

Weather
From the last 5 years (avg/high):

	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Boston	45/48	46/55	44/54	51/61	53/61
Chicago	80/88	74/86	36/45	70/84	68/80
NY	51/56	44/50	54/58	44/51	46/54

Edge to: NY. Heat is increasingly becoming an issue, especially at Chicago. Boston’s weather for tomorrow’s race is also abnormally hot, in the mid-80s.

The start

Boston: Busses leave from downtown and drop you at the start hours before the race begins. It’s usually chilly and of course the Porta-potty lines are ridiculous.

Chicago: You can pretty much walk to the start from most downtown hotels or easily take the L.

NY: Busses leave from downtown and drop you at the start hours before the race begins. It’s usually chilly and of course the Porta-potty lines are ridiculous.

Edge to: Chicago

Spectators

Boston: 0.5 million, including the infamous Wellesley women’s tunnel of love near the halfway point. Can be a little desolate between the top of Heartbreak and the turn onto Beacon.

Chicago: 1.5 million, can be a little bare through miles 20 to 22.

NY: 2 million. Although an eerie silence takes over Queensborough Bridge (mile 15), the crowd on First Ave will get you re-energized again.

Edge to: NY, but any of the fans at any of these races make you feel like a rock star.

Pizza

Chicago 2010: Deep dish!

Boston: Not even a contender

Chicago: Deep dish

NY: New York style

Edge to: What can I say, I’m an East Coast girl. NY style all the way.

Celebrities

*I mean professional runners, not P. Diddy and Oprah. (NYC would win the more traditional celebrity category.) It can be incredibly exciting to run the same race as your idols, not to mention score their autographs at the expo. All three have top tier Kenyas and Ethiopians. But where do our American elites run? I’ve considered the appearances of the top five finishers at January’s Olympic Trials in the last four years.

Boston: Desiree Davila (2011), Kara Goucher (2009, 2011), Meb Keflezighi (2010), Ryan Hall (2009, 2010, 2011)

Chicago: Desiree Davila (2008, 2010), Ryan Hall (2011, did not start in 2010 but was around to give me his autograph)

NY: Shalane Flanagan (2010), Kara Goucher (2008), Meb Keflezighi (2009, 2010, 2011), Ryan Hall (2009), Abdi Abdirahman (2008, 2009), Dathan Ritzenhein (2010)

Edge to: NY. Why do Americans shy away from Chicago?

Chicago 2010: Ryan Hall's autograph.

The finish

Boston: Amazing finish down Boylston St.

Chicago: Amazing finish in Grant Park.

NY: Amazing finish in Central Park.

Edge to: All of the above. You finish any of these marathons, you’ll be on the top of the world.

The intangibles and final score

Boston: If you are anywhere near a BQ, you already know the appeal. Qualifying for Boston catapults you to a new tier of marathon runner. Your reward is an incredible race along the infamous course, tackling the same hills and hearing the same cheers as other Patriot’s Day runners who have gone before you over the last 116 years.

NY 2009: Happy at the finish.

Chicago: If you want a PR (or a BQ) this is the race. It’s flat, it’s fast. You don’t have wake up at the crack of dawn to get on a bus and then sit at the start for hours. It’s well organized and ready for you to run your best. But you may want to start praying for good weather now.

NY: If you run one marathon in your life, you should run NY. Standing on the Verrazano Bridge with 45,000 other runners and a path before you that weaves through all five boroughs is an incredible experience. People from all over the world come to run it. The crowds are amazing and will make you feel like all 2 million of them are cheering for you.

And the winner is: Boston. It remains my favorite marathon and I hope to run there again in the next few years. It didn't win many of these categories upfront, but all around it is an amazing race and a great reward for all it takes to get there. 

Good luck to all those running Boston!!

Dream big,

Teal