Today Fiona and I competed in the TMC A Mountain half marathon here in Tucson, Arizona. We did this race 6 years ago but didnt run up the mountain because the road got washed out from the Monsoon season. Post Covid, the road getting fixed, and relocating the race back to Tucson, we finally ran up the mountain for the first ever time. 6 years ago I was relieved we didnt race up it; this time I embraced it and looked forward to it!

After Ironman Lake Placid in July in 10:25 with a 3:56 marathon, we both then did Ironman 70.3 Santa Cruz where I qualified for the 2024 70.3 World Championship in Taupo, New Zealand with a 4:40 and 1:42 half marathon. Since that race 6 weeks ago, I havent swam one time, I have biked 1-2× per week and ramped up the run training significantly with the goal on BQ at the Tucson Marathon in 7 weeks. I have to run a 3:10 minimum but qualifying standards will probably have a need of 3:05. I have run a 3:13 and a 3:19 there before.

So my self coached training plan has me running 6 days a week. Tuesdays are 12x400m repeats that have increased to 6:35/mile which isnt fast enough yet. Thursdays are going to grow into 6x1mile repeats. Saturdays are long runs reaching 18m thus far and going up to 22m.

Post 70.3 we went on a cruise and then I worked on consistency. Week mileage since: 15.3, 45, 47, 50, 52, 54.1. I have also done lifting around 1-4x per week.

My volume has dropped significantly from 18hrs per week to 8hrs per week. As a result, I am up 4 pounds to 186-188.

Saturday we had pancakes, got a coffee, went to Jasons Deli, and had Chipotle for dinner. I felt quite heavy and the stomach was full.

We woke up 5am Sunday morning. 2 pieces of white toast with butter and Jam and a medium redbull. We drove to A Mountain and 15min to go I had a Maurten Caffiene 100 gel. The gun went off and I took off at 6:40/mile for 800m before the mountain. Then it was a a 1.4m climb of 400′ at 143HR and 9:17/m pace. There was music at the top but I was wearing headphones. I grabbed a cup of water and avg 8:23/mile at the M2 marker before the descent. A fair bit passed me up the climb and I only ckawed back a few runners on the descent at 6:28/m and a HR lowering to 137.

Heading towards the Loop I knew where to go by reading the map, unlike my wife who followed 10ppl in front that didnt think 13.1m was long enough, costing her the podium. 😦 I knew this loop sectionnwell fromnearlier innthe year but this was also the first time running outside in 5 weeks, since Catalina Island. Pace onnthe way out with slight incline along the Santa Cruz River and slight headwind was 7:20, 7:25, 7:21, 7:33, 7:25. Then at the turn around, after counting 44 ppl in front of me and passing 10+ since the mountain, pace dropped to 7:09 7:14, 7:11, 7:22, 7:14. I thought “Duh, there is a slight headwind. During the return the I started to slightly feel the heat climb to 79F with the desert sun and at M12 I felt some cramping coming on from not carbo loading the day before and only having sugar and water. I will for aure be carrying a bottle of LMNT in the marathon!!! By this time, I had past more people and was now back and forth with 2 folks who did beat me. But then I saw a 13yr old kid who was doing great but I got past him by 18 seconds, sorry kid. 1 of 5, he beat the next U19 by 10minutes!

Along the return I saw FiFi and got a high five. I also cane back and got pics and video of her into the finish 🙂

We finished with bakery at Estrella and drinks drom Presta. We went home and I did another 7M on the mill at 8:34/m with elevated HR from the race of 123 vs yesterdays 5m run on same pace at 118HR.

This was a great event and a lot of fun. Thanks to the organizers, volunteers and charities we supported.

Next up is The Breeze in the Trees 10K in our hometown in 2 weeks. Fi will be visiting family in Australia so I will be solo on the day.

I have a long way to go to hold 7:03/mile for 26.2 miles… stay tuned.