I discovered that a lot of people wrote a lot more, and a lot better, than me about the LA Marathon. In fact, if you really want to know about the races I run in, don't read my blog, read other people's. Two specifically about LA are those of The Running Fat Guy and Chicrunner. It seems that there was a really fun race out there that due to my focus on time I missed a great deal of. Well, I kind of saw it, but didn't really take it all in.
Those folks even have cool videos (love the dancers, runningfatguy), and photos. Did I forget to mention the drag queen cheerleaders? Sorry about that, one of the high points of the race. I did completely miss the Kodak Theater, Whisky A Go Go and several other famous spots, although I did notice Graumann's Chinese Theater. There were lots of cool bands too, and taiko drummers. Oh well, I can drive the course the next time I'm in LA....
Photo from LA Runner's blog...thanks....
Thanks to Glenn Jones (the fat guy) I also found a good blog - discombobulatedrunning - and that led me to Captain Nuts -the smithendorffiles - check those out. (See Captain Nuts' Gasparilla report - great.) Obviously, any runner named Captain Nuts has to have a good blog.
So...about getting serious. I was watching The Killers DVD, Live from the Royal Albert Hall, which I HIGHLY recommend. In fact, if you have any kind of a large TV and an audio system, and you like rock music, this is an absolute must. And as this great music surged over me, inspiring and empowering me, I thought, Tokyoracer, it's time to stop frigging around and get serious. You have still not put in a really good marathon effort. You are still falling apart at the end of these things. More hard work is called for. A lot more hard work.
So when I get back into marathon training, which will be June 1 (running a 5k in an ekiden on May 23rd, which I would like to run fast), I plan to up the mileage to about 140k (87mi.) a week, with either 3 hill intervals or one long marathon pace run plus one very long run. The hill interval stuff comes from world record holder Hosaka-san, who does 5 x 1000m (up/down) twice a day. Of course I am not going to do that, but 6 x 500m, one day up, the next time down, in the middle of a 24k run, sounds like it would be good for the quads.
Basically, I want to work very hard and become a man of steel. Well, a man with quads of steel.
Are we human? Or are we dancer? ... Or are we going to be a pure, lean, mean racing machine? I'm ready to turn it up to 11.
Well - viewing the sights are one of the "benefits" of being a back of the packer. Also - you realize you ran that course in less time than it would take you to drive it, right? Welcome to Los Angeles.....
ReplyDeleteI'm scared to think what going to happen when you get serious!
Fighting talk Bob. I like it. Right behind you. Just tell me what I have to do.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it about running a marathon that gets one so fired up. Good to see Bob! Hosaka hills work. I did alot of these before my last marathon and going to incorporate them in my next plan. I reckkon if you can do these at least once a week and bump your Ks to closer to 200 a week you get the most out of your training.
ReplyDeleteI know 200 sounds like more than most could handle but by doing doubles every day say 15K in the morning and 10K at night with a couple of long runs over 30K a week you can do it.
You go into your next marathon with that kind of training behind you and you'll be flying the last 10K.
I thought your last marathon prep was seriously mean Bob. I can't wait to see the next one! I wouldn't want to be the 60+ dude trying to beat you (unless it's Hosaka).
ReplyDeleteTry the Scott200 plan if you dare. It comes with a trade-off of black fish and sleeping on the couch.
That black fish gag is getting serious mileage (just like Scott)
ReplyDelete