The Long-Overdue Marathon Update
What Running Fast Means To Me
It’s Race Week
Well, that escalated quickly.
As you read these lines, I am already tapering the hell out of my Valencia marathon training. There is one last tempo run left, which is more of a final gear check, not a developmental workout. The rest of my week is filled with travel preparations, sleeping and eating.
I am deeply grateful for one thing already: I am not injured. The last time I made it this far in a marathon preparation, I was running with a limp, while I did not realize yet that I would not stand at the start of any marathon soon.
Quick & Dirty Recap
This whole training cycle was an interesting experience. Coming back from an injury, my coach Karim tried a different approach than during my spring preparation. He abandoned the obligatory “rest weeks” and, instead, increased my weekly training hours and intensity in one continuous ramp. From 5:50h of running in week 1 to 9:49 h in week 11. The only exceptions were week 6 and 7, in which I participated in test races, and the last 2 weeks of steep tapering, of course.
Interestingly, I did not find this concept exhausting or tiring at any point. Even during my biggest weeks, well beyond the 100 km, I always felt fresh, motivated and resilient. Only last week my training got a bit shaky because it clashed with Willpower’s Bold Friday and the imminent release of my “Runhundred” book. But even this tripple burden did not result in skipped workouts or displeasure.
So, here I am, 4 days before the Valencia Marathon. Uninjured, marathon fit, and fully locked and loaded. Who would have thought that.
To (super) shoe or not to (super) shoe
Avid readers of my Das Z Letters already know that there’s no hotter topic around, but running shoes. In my “Hart auf Hart” article I reported that I did 90% of my training in super hard racing flats and completely renounced the so-called “super shoes”, aka heavily cushioned, super bouncy, and carbon plated running shoes.
I almost pulled it through. There’s been 2 workouts for which I picked the bright neon orange boats. One tempo run and a long run with tempo blocks. Both workouts went well, and the shoe delivered the expected extra 5 seconds per kilometer in speed. Who could say no to that?
The decisive question is, though, whether I will bring my super shoes to the marathon on Sunday, or not.
Short and sweet: I will.
Why? Because these shoes give me a certain feeling. A feeling I am longing for. Allow me to elaborate on this in the next paragraph.
Marathon Goals
It’s no secret that I’ve been on the brink of a Sub-3h marathon for 5 years now. Although it has been 4 years since I trained and raced to break 3 hours (and that was a DNF), the marathon was always present in my running life. Yet, my most recent 42.2 km attempts got either cancelled, because of COVID-19, or I ran them “for fun” (c-type fun, of course) without any specific preparation. After all, my last years of running have been completely dominated by ultra- and trailrunning, most notably, the Western States Endurance Run.
Yes, Sub3 is still in the back of my mind. It has always been. However, my goal for the Valencia Marathon is not a specific race result. I can’t feel it. It’s just not there. Don’t confuse this with not wanting to race hard in Valencia. No doubt, I’m going to run as fast as I can and honestly give it all. I simply don’t see a specific number this time.
I do have goals for Valencia, though. What I am chasing is a certain feeling. The feeling of running fast for 42.2 km. Running fast means something different for everyone. Even two equally strong runners will identify different situations as running fast.
For some, it’s the last 300 meters of a brute 10k race.
For others, it’s completely opening the legs on a steep and rocky downhill.
For still others, it’s running with the pack. Striding side by side, like a freight train going full throttle.
For me, it’s a sustained 5-6/10 effort (RPE scale) on flat asphalt. An undefined pace that talks to me like no other. At this sweet spot, I feel both, powerful and in control. My stride is long, my body is upright, and my breathing is deep. My vision is clear, my mind is focused, and my heart vibrates. This is what running fast means to me.
In short, my goal for Valencia is to run fast.
Everything not running
I read a book. This should not come as a surprise. It is very helpful to also read books if you presume to write them. The interesting fact is that it was the first fiction book I’ve read in years. Usually, I read non-fiction, mostly guidebooks, biographies or political literature. Reading and learning are inseparably connected for me. This time it was a thriller, though.
Let me resolve the excitement: I read “Die Einladung” by Sebastian Fitzek, Germany’s golden child of literature.
To be honest, the reason that he sells millions and millions of books made me most curious. I wanted to find out what exactly is so captivating about this writing that readers literally devour his books in one go.
Sadly, I did not disclose Sebastian Fitzek’s secret of success. Instead, I found myself reading “Die Einladung” in only 3 nights, with the last session going 5 hours straight. Gobsmacked, with wide-open eyes and a dropped jaw. Whatever this author does, I fell victim to it, like millions before me.
I humbly bow my head to Sebastian Fitzek’s excellent craft.
Can't wait to see what Valencia will bring! 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️