RunningWise
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Nice improvement on a rough day to run
Exercise and Fitness
- Thread starter FootyLovin
- Start date
500 Mile Update
46.4 miles in January. Superficially ahead of schedule on a simple monthly or per day basis. But I'm behind when I factor in expected time missed for travel etc., thanks to an unscheduled week off due to impassable sidewalks and park paths. I had just over 30 miles done by January 15, and half that afterwards. The deficit is not overwhelming but I expected to be ahead.
ETA: I did 29.3 in January 2025.
46.4 miles in January. Superficially ahead of schedule on a simple monthly or per day basis. But I'm behind when I factor in expected time missed for travel etc., thanks to an unscheduled week off due to impassable sidewalks and park paths. I had just over 30 miles done by January 15, and half that afterwards. The deficit is not overwhelming but I expected to be ahead.
ETA: I did 29.3 in January 2025.
Last edited:
Time - 2:17:52
PR - 5:30 faster than previous
PR - 5:30 faster than previous
RunningWise
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Congratulations. That takes a lot of work. How bad was the wind on the course?
I added an extra layer out of fear of the wind. In actuality it was a really calm day. I'm looking forward to warmer weather where I don't have to make clothing decisions.
2026 500-mile rucking First Quarter update:
150 miles in the books. If math is hard that's a 600 mile pace. That's not my new target and as previously mentioned I have a lot of travel upcoming. I wanted a cushion and I figure I could sit out a full month cumulative over the rest of the year and still make 500 easily now. Last year I had 104 miles at the end of March.
150 miles in the books. If math is hard that's a 600 mile pace. That's not my new target and as previously mentioned I have a lot of travel upcoming. I wanted a cushion and I figure I could sit out a full month cumulative over the rest of the year and still make 500 easily now. Last year I had 104 miles at the end of March.
Kick ass Mark! Keep calm and ruck on.
RunningWise
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Solid pace. Great job
RunningWise
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I’ve been a little quiet here but mostly because I’ve been focused on work and running while still finding time for family.
I was a runner in high school, started to get into shape and then got married and had kids fairly young. After health issues due to unhealthy lifestyle during the pandemic (Nurse in Healthcare Administration) I worked on losing weight and officially started running on July 3rd 2023. It was a 35 minute easy run and I had to stop and walk around 27 minutes. Since then I’ve focused on building consistency started at 3 days a week and now up to 5 days a week averaging 50 miles a week. As a 45 year old runner it’s been interesting to see my development. Ok, long intro done now onto the exciting part.
I ran the Jersey City Marathon this past Sunday and delivered a performance I’ve been dreaming of, finishing in 2:58:26 and breaking the 3-hour barrier with an average pace of 6:49 per mile. This race was defined by discipline and control early, followed by remarkable consistency through the middle miles. After opening in 7:01, I quickly settled into a steady rhythm and held the majority of the race between 6:40 and 6:50 per mile. By the halfway point in 1:29:35, I had executed exactly as planned. I felt calm, controlled, and slightly ahead of pace without overextending. Physiologically, the effort progressed exactly how I wanted, with heart rate building from the 150s early into the 170s later.
Amusingly, the defining moment came at mile 22, not because I was fading but because I briefly lost track of how to do math and more specifically my pacing relative to the 3-hour goal. I convinced myself I might fall short and made the decision to pick up the pace. What followed was not a desperate push, but a controlled acceleration into the low 6:30s over the final miles, including a 6:31 at mile 24 and a 6:17 pace to close. More importantly, I felt strong and capable, and I believe I could have held that effort for several more miles. Instead of fading, I ran a clear negative split and finished with strength, which shows that my original pacing strategy worked and may have even been slightly conservative.
I’m waiting for them to publish better pictures to share but I’ve put some images from my Strava on the pacing.
I was a runner in high school, started to get into shape and then got married and had kids fairly young. After health issues due to unhealthy lifestyle during the pandemic (Nurse in Healthcare Administration) I worked on losing weight and officially started running on July 3rd 2023. It was a 35 minute easy run and I had to stop and walk around 27 minutes. Since then I’ve focused on building consistency started at 3 days a week and now up to 5 days a week averaging 50 miles a week. As a 45 year old runner it’s been interesting to see my development. Ok, long intro done now onto the exciting part.
I ran the Jersey City Marathon this past Sunday and delivered a performance I’ve been dreaming of, finishing in 2:58:26 and breaking the 3-hour barrier with an average pace of 6:49 per mile. This race was defined by discipline and control early, followed by remarkable consistency through the middle miles. After opening in 7:01, I quickly settled into a steady rhythm and held the majority of the race between 6:40 and 6:50 per mile. By the halfway point in 1:29:35, I had executed exactly as planned. I felt calm, controlled, and slightly ahead of pace without overextending. Physiologically, the effort progressed exactly how I wanted, with heart rate building from the 150s early into the 170s later.
Amusingly, the defining moment came at mile 22, not because I was fading but because I briefly lost track of how to do math and more specifically my pacing relative to the 3-hour goal. I convinced myself I might fall short and made the decision to pick up the pace. What followed was not a desperate push, but a controlled acceleration into the low 6:30s over the final miles, including a 6:31 at mile 24 and a 6:17 pace to close. More importantly, I felt strong and capable, and I believe I could have held that effort for several more miles. Instead of fading, I ran a clear negative split and finished with strength, which shows that my original pacing strategy worked and may have even been slightly conservative.
I’m waiting for them to publish better pictures to share but I’ve put some images from my Strava on the pacing.
Holy shit, man. That's amazing. 3 hours is crazy!!! Not only does that qualify for Boston, it very nearly does so even for the 18-34 age range.
As someone who this month is just reaching 1 year of running experience, this is totally inspiring.
Thanks for sharing!!!
RunningWise partially inspired by your description of your race. Brooklyn half marathon today. This is my 4th ever 1/2 and all in the last 6 months. My pace has gone as follows in my first 3 1/2s:
11:19
10:56
10:31
I also got substantially weaker at the ends of my first 2 races. Today my plan was to shoot for a 10:20 pace as that would be a new PR but also not a big jump as this was the first non-flat course I've run. Not hills of any great substance. But 3 extended uphills of > .5 mile and a couple of other shorter blips. So that was the plan.
I've never run in a large field before. This was 27,000 runners and supporters filling the sides of the race the whole way. Amazing feeling. Even one spot rounding the museum at the corner of Prospect Park where the supporters kind of pushed in on the route creating a narrow funnel for the runners that felt like what I've seen in certain stretches of the Tour de France. So awesome!
Here was my result:
Not official, but lap (mile) times from my Garmin. Super pleased with being able to hit a negative split and to go sub-9:00 in mile 13.
11:19
10:56
10:31
I also got substantially weaker at the ends of my first 2 races. Today my plan was to shoot for a 10:20 pace as that would be a new PR but also not a big jump as this was the first non-flat course I've run. Not hills of any great substance. But 3 extended uphills of > .5 mile and a couple of other shorter blips. So that was the plan.
I've never run in a large field before. This was 27,000 runners and supporters filling the sides of the race the whole way. Amazing feeling. Even one spot rounding the museum at the corner of Prospect Park where the supporters kind of pushed in on the route creating a narrow funnel for the runners that felt like what I've seen in certain stretches of the Tour de France. So awesome!
Here was my result:
Not official, but lap (mile) times from my Garmin. Super pleased with being able to hit a negative split and to go sub-9:00 in mile 13.
RunningWise
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That’s a fantastic result. A lot to be proud of. Congratulations!
People always feel strong in the beginning of a race and then try to hold on. No one talks about the psychological boost of staying reserved and then passing people at the end. Well done!
I accidentally ended up having brunch on Flatbush just before Grand Army Plaza on race day, I hope you waved as you went by
