Top Secret Training - Matt Larsen #3 Boston Marathon

The road to the Boston Marathon is now down to 3 weeks for many area runners. Matt Larsen checks in with how his training has gone over the past few weeks.

 Since I posted last, I have started coaching track. With this transition, I’ve made some slight changes to mileage and how I approach mileage, but I’ve still tried to stick with the same basic plan of attack in training. My primary focus has still been on one workout per week and one long run per week.  Recently I’ve noticed that in a typical week, either the workout or the long run will go well (but usually not both).  I’ll give you a few of the highlights and low lights of training, along with showing you my creative approach to chasing decent mileage while coaching high school girls. 

3/09/11- Pettit party- The plan was to run a three mile warm up followed by 5 miles at 5:30 and a 3 mile cool down.  I was coming off of being sick the previous week, but I was cautiously optimistic that I could find a groove.  On the drive down, I thought about my love hate relationship with Pettit Center running.  Overall, I love having the Pettit Center as a place to escape the nastiness of winter training.  I love running into old friends who are getting a workout in during the holiday season. And, I get a kick out of how the Pettit almost becomes like a trusty watering hole for the run-aholics who spend countless hours logging miles and miles and talking shop.  My love for the Pettit Center usually lasts through late January and early February, but as spring rolls around, and the weather is still crappy, I get impatient with dodging people, running in circles, always having dry skin etc. 

As  I warmed up for the tempo, I still reflected on the Pettit season coming to an end, and I saw what I thought was a sign about the night’s workout- I saw a lady grooving along on a run in a pair of jeans.  This awesome display had to mean that I would have a great workout that night.  I hate to disappoint you guys, but even with such a rare sight as an athlete maximizing her potential in denim, I still had a letdown of a workout.  I got through 3 in 16:30 and pulled the plug on the tempo run.  I chalked this rough workout to getting over illness- no worries- I still woke the legs up a little bit. 

3/12/11- I had a 50 minute run with 1 minute pickups every 10 minutes scheduled with the fit members of our ladies team, and they gave me a good run.  I followed that up with a 50 minute run with Coach Olson after practice. This has become one of my new ways of chasing mileage.  Both runs went well and the company was good. I was pretty hungry by the end of the run, however, and felt a little like bonking in the end. 

3/13/11- I needed 19 miles to get 70 in for the week, but I settled for 17 and a 68 mile total.  I ran with Eamon on a hilly course and felt a little run down.  I attributed the fatigue to the first week of track.  I was pretty run down for the remainder of the day, but was pleased that I was able to maintain respectable mileage. 

3/16/11-The weather was great, and I was meeting up at Hart Park with Matt and Eamon to run 3x2 miles with about 4 to 5 minute recovery in between.  I felt run down and was not excited about the idea of doing a workout.  I tried to wimp out and talk these guys into any easy 13 miler, but to be honest, that also seemed like a lot of work.  With feeling flat, I tempered the expectations to 5:40 starting pace with an opportunity for a pace increase as deemed doable.  We rolled the first 2 miler in 11:17 on the Parkway as we dodged some snow and mud.  I felt crappy and was almost longing for the flat Pettit Center that I had been cursing one week earlier.  The next repeat was run back toward the track on the Parkway.  We covered 2 miles in 10:57, and I was still a little fatigued.  I talked the guys into running the final repeat on the track and let them know that I would cover one mile for sure and assess the situation from there.  We went through and a mile in 5:25, and it felt pretty comfortable.  I completed the total 2 in 10:48 and felt much better on this than I did on the first two repeats.  I was very satisfied with a long day of work and a decent workout.  I got home to fill out a couple of brackets. I picked a risky final four of VCU, Butler, Kentucky, and UConn (hoping it would turn out well).  Then I went to bed. 

3/26- Plan was to get in 10 total for the day.  We had a meet, and I decided to run 5 before it and 5 after.  I got out the door at 6 am for a really cold 5 miler.  About 3 and a half miles in, I tripped on a blade of grass, but with a cat like reflexes, I executed a very smooth log roll and transitioned back into the run.  I hope that someone was able to see this display of agility as they started their Saturday morning.  Coach Olson, Irvine and I ran a nice five mile after a good meet for both our guys’ and girls’ track teams.  It was cold. 

3/27- Plan was to get in 20 with Matt and Eamon at a reasonable pace. We average just under 7 minutes for the first 10 and just over 6:30 for the second ten.  I felt smooth through about 16, but felt like I had to work for the last 4 or so miles.  I spent the remainder of the day on the couch watching to see how the NCAA picks turned out.