Kansas Half Marathon Race Plan

We ran for Boston today – a run at lunch with a friend and a run tonight with the local running store. Runners throughout the world are adding up the miles dedicated to those affected by the tragedy.  In a way, this is our prayer. We run for those who can’t, we run to show support, we run because it feels right. And as we run, we meditate on lives lost, but more importantly on the amazing show of humanity and love in the outpouring of support that has surrounded and lifted up those affected in Boston. We will continue to run and we will be strong.

This Sunday is the Kansas Half Marathon, and with everything that has happened, it will have a little bit different meaning for every runner who is there. I will be wearing the Runners United to Remember bib as I attempt to reach a new PR.

I am still working toward breaking that 2:00:00 barrier, so I am aiming to get closer with this race. My previous PR of 2:16:43 was at the Kansas City Half in October. Despite being a PR, it was not my best race, and I believe I can greatly improve on the time. My hope is to finish close to 2:05 and my plan to achieve that is to start running with the 2:10 pace group to warm-up and then increase speed after mile 6 of the race to attempt to catch the 2:05 group. My goal time is 2:06 (10 minutes faster than my PR) and my stretch goal is anything faster than 2:05. I would be ecstatic if I managed to break 2:00, but I’ve never yet managed to sustain the pace required for that amount of time, so not sure I’m there yet.

The weather should be perfect for running on Sunday morning, starting with temperatures in the mid-40s and rising to no higher than 65 that day. I’m planning to wear capris and a tech t-shirt with a long-sleeved quarter-zip to begin the race. I’m going to carry my own water and Honey Stinger Pink Lemonade gummies for my race day nutrition. On my long runs, I’ve been practicing taking one chew about every mile starting around mile 3, and it’s worked pretty well for me, so I’ll stick with that for this race. Here’s my packing/wearing list for Sunday:

• Boston remembrance bib
• Fuel belt & water bottle
• Honey Stinger Pink Lemonade chews
• Garmin watch and HRM
• Running capris
• T-shirt
• Long-sleeved running shirt
• Gloves & Hat/headband
• Socks/Sports bra/Deodorant
• Hair tie & Bobby pins
• RoadID
• Brooks PureFlow shoes
• Cellphone & $$
• Banana & Almond butter for breakfast
• Change of clothes for post-race

My plan is to have everything laid out and ready to go Saturday night, so I don’t need to think about anything at the crack of dawn Sunday in time to leave the house by 4:50am to leave town by 5:00am. That will put us at the race start around 6:15am to pick-up our packets and have a nice cushion of time before race start at 7:30am.

The rest of this week’s training will be focused on tapering for the race on Sunday. My plan is to run an easy ~5 miles tomorrow afternoon, do a short but fast 2 miles on Thursday, full rest on Friday, and an easy 1-2 miles on Saturday to loosen up my legs. I’m also hoping to do a little yoga tomorrow or on Thursday. I’ve opted to skip the weights this week to avoid any unnecessary soreness on Sunday. My other major goal for this week is to get enough sleep. I’m off to a bad start, but my goal is to be in bed by 10pm the rest of the nights this week.

I’m sure I’m forgetting something, so I may update this post as I think of other aspects of the race that I need to worry about.

Do you have any races planned? Do you write a race plan ahead of time? 

Today’s Training:

3.04 miles run + 3.07 miles run = 6.11 miles total

For Boston

My heart is in Boston today, and all my thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this senseless attack.

I have no wise words, no deep insights today. Please just join me in thinking and praying for Boston. If you have a race coming up, consider joining the “Runners United to Remember” event and wearing the remembrance bib.  This is not a fundraiser, it’s just a simple act to show support and solidarity with the runners, volunteers, spectators and locals affected in Boston today.

For Boston, for Boston,

we sing our proud refrain

for Boston, for Boston

’tis wisdom’s earthly fame

for here are all one

and our hearts are true

and the towers on the heights

reach the heavens own blue.

for Boston, for Boston

’till the echoes ring again

For Boston, for Boston

thy glory is our own

for Boston, for Boston

’tis here that truth is known

and ever with a right

shall our heirs be found

’till time shall be no more

and thy work is crowned

for Boston, for Boston

thy glory is our own

– T. J. Hurley

(Boston College Fight Song…seemed appropriate today)