Okay first I must get something off my chest. I broke my Marathon Lent yesterday. I have not had soda, chocolate or alcohol (not orginally part of it but I hardly drink so why drink more empty calories I don't really want anyway) since I started my Marathon Lent and until last night, I had not had the fast food part of it either. I decided I needed something to reward myself for being under 160 lbs, having a great week plus of running and depriving myself of something I like once a week, TACO BELL. It was calling me saying quit losing all this weight skinny boy. I gave in. It was delicious, I don't feel bad about it. I just don't plan on doing that again... other than maybe one more time. LOL
I did my last Yassos yesterday. I had 8 scheduled. Previously I had done 9 Yassos six weeks ago and that was my 50 mile week when I believe I overexerted my knee and started dealing with nagging knee and foot pain. I still have minor foot pain but don't notice it like I was. The knee pain is something I don't feel while running and what was causing me to run slow and not even be able to do more than a couple miles at marathon pace for a couple weeks. Well, my Yasso pace is 3:45 but I have been shooting for a few 3:40s. I did that and only had one over 3:45 averaging 3:41 yesterday for my 8. Yassos are great speed work but they touch on other things for the marathon.
First if you can do 10 Yassos (I missed mine due to my knee but knew I could do 10 when I did my 9) at your marathon goal time, so in my case 3:45 Yassos for a 3 hour and 45 minute marathon, that should equate to your marathon time give or take some time and seeing as you also did the proper training of long runs. I also believe I will be at that pace because I am running a mile below where I do now and as long as it doesn't rain, the temps should be a good day of what CO running typically is at this time (been lucky the last week and a half after not so much the previous month plus).
Back to Yassos, the benefits are you get speed work in that is faster than your 10/15k tempo pace, marathon pace and somewhere even under a 5k pace. But that's just a start. They wear on your mind and body too! When your legs are tired from running that hard for an extended period of time, your body tells your mind, okay time for a break. That is what a marathon does. You are exerting yourself at a pace you usually only do for the maximum of a half marathon but for twice as long and your body is starting to give out at Mile 20 and your mind has to kick in and say, no your legs are fine, they are tired but still working how they should so just keep running and getting a few calories in here and there so your body doesn't shut down on you. At Yasso #5 last night, it was getting really dark and the evening sundown chill started hitting with my legs saying, hey we aren't supposed to be running this fast and my mind took over. It was saying, you are right legs, let's only do 6. You have done a good job after not doing these for so long, but... you are fine, your legs are still gonna work and you think when you are at 20 miles and at about 2 hours and 50 minutes and need to finish the last 10k in 55 minutes or better that you aren't going to have to put mind over matter to reach your goal?! The human mind is amazing and it can go either way. Over the last 50 weeks, I have made it push my body where my body and mind never imagined possible. Forget P90X, thank you running!!!
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