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Hey everyone! How are things going? Good I hope. I just thought I'd check in and give y'all an update on how my training for the Cleveland Marathon was going.For the past 6 weeks training has been going great, with a tempo run, speed workout and long run almost every week. I have been routinely hitting 100-110 miles per week and have been steadily progressing and becoming faster and stronger through-out my preparations. :)
With only 3 weeks now until Cleveland, it was time complete my 15 mile marathon simulation run; to practice my pre-race routine and fueling strategy as well as get some serious work in at marathon race pace. I ran my simulation yesterday, Saturday, and can happily say it was a big success! I hit 6:07 per mile average pace with the first mile being my slowest as planned (6:25) and my last mile my fastest (5:59). I felt very strong during the simulation, especially the last 6 miles of it. I am super happy with how it went considering the neighborhoods I ran through on my 3 mile loop (I did it 5 times for the 15 miles) were having their community garage sales at the time - talk about bad timing. :-p
Anyways, only 3 weeks left til my marathon debut and I couldn't be more excited! Thanks to everyone for their support and encouragement!
Impressive work! Stoked to have you coming to Cleveland to race. I'll see you there
ReplyDeleteAmazing! I am so excited for your upcoming race. Nice job on the training!
ReplyDeleteYour amazing!!!! Such an inspiration to so many! Keep up the great work :D
ReplyDeleteRead about you in the New York Times and just wanted to wish you luck tomorrow!!!
ReplyDeleteHello Alana and Mark. Your are such an inspiration for runners, fathers and kids and although you may not know, lots of us will be following every step of the way this important race but also every training session and every other race of your amazing journey. Alana, my son Marco loves running and he will be there the all way, cheering, learning, suffering with you. Run hard. You earned every little bit of what you have accomplished so far and I really hope you achieve all your goals and dreams.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are great.
Marco and antonio
Everybody told me I could NEVER be a professional woman polo player. I don't have money, no family name, no horses. But I did! Stay focused, be smart and committed. Your passion, like mine, feeds your soul. Proud of you and your parents.
ReplyDeleteEverybody told me I would NEVER be a woman professional polo player..no family name or money and no horses. I did it..and well! Stay focused and committed. Good job!
ReplyDeleteRead about your training and passion in the New York Times. Admire your commitment and your family for supporting your pursuits.
ReplyDeleteNice NYT article. I'm a 60 year old guy who still can't do a 5K in as short a time as you did it when you were 9 years old. But I'll keep trying. Good luck in Cleveland, and enjoy 1D. By the way, your parents are cool.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to salute you champ, i live in guatemala city, and i go by over one paper so i saw your biographical sketch and i was shock: 5000 cals a day! Your sense of maturity is examplary, follow your dream with passion; i hope
ReplyDeleteyou make it, but i read of one of your friends wanted go to a concert with your person and that was no possible; my humble advice is that flexibility some times gives us consciousness, luck.
Great race Alana! Being on the Leaderboard is an amazing feat for anyone, let alone someone at sixteen. Run, Alana, Run! Don't let your time get you down. You ran great for your first marathon. I know it wasn't as fast as you wanted. You will get faster and win a lot in the future. Look back only for what you can improve. Focus on what is next and next after that. I will be watching and cheering for you in 2013! Bring home the Gold!
ReplyDeletePrayers for good health and success!
Great race today!! You are such an amazingly talented person. I am just floored. I ran my first half marathon this year, at the age of 34. You are so lucky to have found your passion so young. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great work. Some say my early marathons ended my running career at the University of Oregon, but I think it was the pressure of having to compete a collegiate schedule, do school and work that did me in. When I came back to the sport in my 30's and resumed my high mileage, I had a great time , got to devise my own training and racing schedules and was healthier than I was the first time around. Good luck in your racing! Ps. I totally get the calories. I used to eat peanut butter and butter after workouts just so I could make it to dinner!
ReplyDeleteI read the article on NYT - very impressive - 6th place at Cleveland Marathon -2:58 - you are going to make for 2016 Olympics in Rio. Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteYou're way too young to know much about the tennis great John McEnroe -- your Mom & Dad can tell you about him -- but he was famous for not hiding his feelings during a match, especially when he thought a line-umpire had missed a call. His signature phrase was always a loud, incredulous "I CANNOT BELIEVE..." followed by reference to whatever on-court injustice he had just suffered.
ReplyDeleteSo when I read about the pot-hole at mile 13, all I could think was "I CANNOT BELIEVE THE CITY OF CLEVELAND CANNOT MANAGE TO SEE THAT THERE ARE NO OPEN POTHOLES ON THEIR BLEEDIN' MARATHON COURSE!!!!"
So I can well imagine how you felt.
But I'll tell you this, it takes one tough bean to gather one's self together mentally after something like that -- especially in a first marathon! -- and still be among the top finishers. Being the competitor you are, I can imagine you'll disagree with me about this but in some ways I think what you did today was more impressive than if you'd have run ten minutes faster.
The year is not even half over but I think you're already a shoo-in for "Little Miss Tough-It of 2013".
And the more I think about it, it seems like a lucky break it was only a pothole because Cleveland being Cleveland, it could just as well have been a sinkhole that opened up and then you would have, like, disappeared completely.
Hi Alana,
ReplyDeleteI just sent your NY Times article to my 8 yr old nephew; like you, he loves to run and has been running since he was 3 years old. He now competes with kids older than him. His dad (my brother) doesn't push him, but we are in awe at his passion for running and how he looks at it as fun. I'm sure you and your blog will inspire him.
Good luck in Cleveland! I've done a number of marathons and triathlons; my doctor once taught me a trick that I use when I get nervous before a competition. I can share it with you.
If you feel butterflies, just say to yourself "I am so grateful. Grateful to have the use of my legs to run, as some people do not. Grateful for parents and friends who support me as some people are not that fortunate. Grateful to be lucky enough to be born in a country where I can compete in events like this." Being grateful makes you less nervous. I hope it helps.
Have fun!