Vegas - You can't spell Party without PR

[MarkD]

The best laid plans always take a turn - but not necessarily for the worse. I had to work in Vegas all week, so, I planned to take on the 1/2 marathon for the second time in 3 years since it was the following weekend. When I did this 2 years ago, I was well disciplined (i.e. no drinking) prior to the race. This year, I planned the same approach - in early every night - lots of rest - very little drinking. Here is how it turned out:

Monday: In by 11 pm, 1 drink, 7 hours sleep, no gambling

Tuesday: In about 1 am, 4 drinks, 6 hours sleep, lost $160

Wednesday: In about 2:30 am, 8 drinks, 5 hours sleep, won $200

Thursday: In about 6 am, 14 drinks, 3 hours sleep, won $60

Friday: In about 5 am, 10 drinks, 6 hours sleep, won $80

Saturday: In bed at 8:30 pm, 0 drinks, 7 hours sleep, won $50

Sunday: Up at 3:30 RACE DAY...

Given the summary above, I expected a sub-par performance, but, all the training paid off, especially when using beer and whiskey as a carbo-loading tool. Finished the 1/2 mary in 1:26:38 - set a PR by over 7 minutes. Sleep is over-rated.

Rock on ! Vegas style !

[JenCollister]

You are a rock star for sure! Congrats!

[Jack Carney]

I think you should write a new training and nutritional manual Mark.

Nice job on the PR.

[ebanks2]

I think the important thing to note is that you came out $230 in the black on the gambling. Your 'zone 2' for drinking/gambling is obviously the 8 drinks and 5 hours of sleep zone. As you push into zone 3 and above...more drinks/less sleep...your winnings go way down. As important, when you below zone 2....less than 8 drinks....you are just wasting your time (and money)

[Aussie Rob]

Nice one Durno.

Macca didn't start....which proves you're tougher than him

[JMcAbier]

D*#@ Durno - 6:36 pace is out right FLYING!

Well done!

[timritt]

not bad for a steelers fan.

tr

[mgorris]

Very well done, Mark. I am very happy for you, happy for your wallet but not so happy for your liver!

Congrats my friend, great job in Vega$$

[ddoren]

Hopefully you mixed in some wings too!! Nice work Dude!

[ianhoffman]

You are a rock star. I coudln't even do the drinking part.

[MarkD]

Thanks for the love... Here's the actual race report:

Having done this race before, the logistics were easy and we knew exactly where to go and when (i.e. where to park easily, where the uncrowded bathrooms were at Mandalay bay, when to get our butts down to the start line). With my previous time out there, I got to go in the front chute where there is plenty of room to mill around, stretch, and warm up. I had my CTC duds on - a couple of Brecksville folks comment on it - they asked me if I knew Janet - apparently, they know her from the running circuit - small world... I also run into a guy I talked to at Mountaineer last year while warming up - again - small world. The best part about being in the front chute was seeing Robin Leach do the pre-race jargon - d*mn that guy has gotten chubby - lifestyles of the rich and shameless indeed ! Good news on this day - NO WIND !!! On your mark - get set - go :

I go out at a comfortably hard pace - thinking I'm just south of a 7 minute mile pace. When I did this race 2 years ago, the mile markers were signs on the road. This year, they were big flags - above eye level. Not knowing this and because there was no wind - I never saw mile markers 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. I had no idea what my pace was. So, at about mile 2.5, I began pacing a dude that was what I felt to be a roughly 7 minute mile pace. Note that I suck at run pacing when not on the track - I train based on preceived exertion. Well, low and behold, mile 6 comes along. I'm sitting there at 37 minutes. Oh SH*T - 6:10 pace - WAAAYYY too fast, I'm probably gonna bonk. The dude I was pacing starts to slip, so, I run by him. I figured it this way - at some point my legs will fail due to the fast pace and all the extra-ciricular activities I did during the week. I just hoped to hold on and get sub 1:30 - my goal for the race. Mile 7 - still feeling good. Mile 8 - this is where the legs got heavy 2 years ago - still strong. Mile 9 - surprised at the continued strong performance - not 6:10's but, still sub-7's. A few speedy folks pass. I hit mile 10 at 1:04:10. At this point, I need to run a 5K in 25:50 - that's when I knew I nailed this thing. I just enjoyed the last 3 miles - continued a comfortably hard pace and finished strong. My legs didn't start getting heavy until mile 11.5. I came through the chute by myself - no one within 30 yards in either direction - the announcer (and big old Robin Leech) see the CTC top and start talking about their support of the Cleveland Marathon and talking up Jack Staph. Got my photo taken with a hot show girl and there you have it...

I attribute the substantial improvement mostly to two things: 1. Triathlon training really helps get the right mix of work/rest for running improvement. 2. Using a high intensity 3-day-per-week run workout plan (I use the FIRST program) really helps you get more comfortable at higher speeds. Its a lot of really hard workouts - especially on the track - but the results are worth it.

Lookin' forward to the 09 racing season. Early entries for me:

Wildflower - May
Cleveland Half Mary - May
NYC tri - July

[speerka]

I'm convinced that your body has somehow evolved into some sort of state where it accepts alcohol as one of the five food groups.

Congratulations Mutant! It sounds like you've got another great year of racing ahead of you!