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TF360: Ryan Vail Preps for London

Published by
DyeStatPRO.com   Mar 15th 2014, 5:00pm
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Eyes Set on the London Marathon

By Scott Bush - Click Here for all TF360 Archives

After a big win at the Gasparilla Half Marathon last month, where he beat a very strong American field in 1:04:05, Ryan Vail is back work preparing for the London Marathon next month. His mileage has held steady in the 135-150 miles/week range, as he looks to improve upon his 2:11:45 PR set in 2012 at the Fukuoka Marathon in Japan. Based in Portland, Oregon, Vail has quietly become one of the premier marathoners in the United States and spent a little time with us recently answering a few questions as he prepares to test his fitness against the best in the world.

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Scott Bush (SB): You ran a very tactical race at the Gasparilla Half Marathon recently, ending with a big win. What did you take away from the race and how will you use that moving forward?

Ryan Vail (RV): The warmth and humidity changes the dynamics of the race greatly. It can distort fitness for some people because the consequences of each race decision you make is amplified, and some guys just don't do well in that type of weather. I have a lot of experience running in these types of conditions from my times at Oklahoma State, so I was confident in my decision to run conservatively, take advantage of the aid stations every mile, and remain comfortable and cool until I was close enough to make a big push. I tried my best to be confident and calm each mile, and that is something that will be crucial in London next month. 

SB: London is less than two months away. How is training going for you? What type of work are you putting in right now that's going to prepare you for the London course?

RV: My training for London has been going great. This is my 4th marathon training block, and so far each one has been slightly better than the previous one. The volume has been similar the last couple months as it was going into the New York Marathon last fall, but the workouts have been a little faster, and my easy days/long runs have also gotten faster. I've maxed out at 150 miles per week, but I'm not putting long strings of these weeks together. I am getting almost every week between 135 and 150 though.

None of my workouts are specific to the London course. That doesn't mean I'm not studying it, but I haven't seen or heard about anything drastic with the course that would require altering my training. The biggest piece of advice I've taken from those who have run the course is that London is not flat, so do not expect the course to run a fast time for you. While London is still a relatively fast course, the competition, pacemakers, organization, and atmosphere are what put it over the top. 

SB: You decided to run London over Boston. Why?

RV: I decided after New York that I wanted to try to run a fast marathon. London worked out perfectly because there will be a few other guys with similar ambitions to myself as well as a pacemaker, and it's one of the most competitive marathons in the world. I certainly hope to run Boston at some point in the future, but right now I'm looking for a breakout performance, and I felt London provides a better situation for that right now. I was a bit surprised when I saw that I was the only American doing London, so I am a bit jealous of the American field in Boston, but I will focus on that in a fall marathon.    

SB: With the race coming up, what does your prep work look like leading up? Will you race any more beforehand?

RV: I will not race again before London. Racing is tricky during the middle of marathon prep, and everyone has a different approach. Some guys will not race at all, some feel comfortable hitting a fast one 3 or 4 weeks out, and I think I am somewhere in the middle. Gasparilla was 7 weeks from London, so I got to take a couple of lighter training days leading up to the race which is helpful during a long training block. I still kept my volume fairly high, but a couple of easy days can really re-energize me for the second of the marathon prep. 

During the first half of my marathon training blocks my coach, Dave Smith, has me mix in some "faster" workouts to help me prepare for the longer threshold and tempo training throughout the buildup. After Gasparilla nearly all of my workouts will be threshold/tempo based. 

SB: Of course London is one of the premier marathons in the world. What are your expectations heading into the competition? Any specific time goal or just to get out there and compete?

RV: They are still working out the logistics of their pace groups, but it looks like I'll be in a group that will be paced somewhere between 64:30 and 65:00 through the half-marathon. It's certainly my goal to stay on this pace as long as possible, and on a good day, crack into the 2:10 range, and maybe on a great day going under 2:10. Hopefully we'll have some nice weather. The field is very deep, but I think if I stick to my race plan, I can beat some guys with some pretty incredible resumes. My goal is to get out on pace, and compete the second half of the race. 

SB: Looking back just a bit, you ran 2:13:23 at the NYC Marathon, slower than what you had hoped to run, but the top American on the day. What were your thoughts from NYC last fall and how is that going to help you run even better in London?

RV: I really wasn't worried about my time in New York. The weather was not going to allow fast times that day. I was hoping to place higher. I am honored to have been the top American, but I would like to have been more representative of American distance running and have been duking it out closer to the front. With that said, I didn't have everything going my way that day, and I stuck it out and gave it everything I had on the day. I'm confident I'll have the opportunity to redeem myself in New York in the future. As for London, more than anything NYC lit my fire to jump back into another marathon. My training before New York went as well as I could have hoped for, so I know I've got a lot more left in the tank. 

SB: You've talked a bit about why you train mostly by yourself, but what type of support staff do you have in place to help you, especially during these cold, rainy months in Portland?

RV: I've got a couple guys around to run with (Craig Hopkins and Jared Bassett) but it's very rare that our workouts coincide, so workouts are usually on my own. My support staff is pretty minimal. My wife has her own training to do, so we do our best to help each other out, but we're usually out running at the same time. Local coach, Sean Coster, has been generous enough to help me with strength training, and Dr. John Howell has opened up his clinic to me, Portland Integrated Health and Sports Medicine, for any rehab, massage, blood work, etc. Working out alone is never easy, but marathon workouts are easier than track workouts alone. Marathon workouts require mind numbing resilience, but track workouts require a lot of intensity that's hard to achieve by yourself.  

SB: From a mental standpoint, if you're off on a grueling run on your own, what do you think about during that time, especially when it really starts to hurt?

RV: I'm usually picturing my next race. Sometimes I'm picturing the 2016 Olympic Marathon trials. Not only does it keep me focused, but it gets me excited.  

SB: What type of supplemental work do you?

RV: I do a solid core routine 3 times per week, and I have incorporated a few strength routines with light weights, but nothing overly intense. I'm trying to be careful to not overindulge on the strength training. I think it can be a great supplementary tool, but it's a challenge to implement it without hurting your running. There is a risk of injury and fatigue. Right now, I've got a good balance. I also do dynamic stretching 3 or 4 times per week. 

SB: You're a higher mileage guy, which means you're burning and need more fuel. What does a daily menu look like for you, from breakfast through dinner?

RV: Fortunately I don't have any dietary restrictions, and my stomach can handle just about anything. My wife and I cook most of our own meals and spend time figuring out healthy options. Breakfast usually consists of granola, yogurt, and a banana, unless I'm in a rush, in which case it will be a Powerbar. A typical lunch would be a sandwich or a wrap with a side of steamed vegetables. We mix up the dinner menu quite a bit, but we like to stick to various whole grains (pasta, rice, quinoa, etc), a big salad, and lean meat. Throughout the day I'm also snacking on trailmix, Powerbars, crackers, etc. I may go for some dinner leftovers later in the evening if I'm getting hungry again, or I'll settle for a little dessert. Of course, we splurge occasionally. 

SB: What's the hardest part of being a professional distance runner?

RV: The hardest part about being a professional distance runner is not being able to enjoy a normal weekend with friends. We do plenty of socializing, but while people are heading up to the mountain to ski, hike, fish, or go boating, I've got to train. I do my best to get out and enjoy some outside activities, but not nearly as much as I would like to. Oregon offers so much that I don't get to enjoy very often. 

SB: What's the best part of being a professional distance runner?

RV: The best part about being a distance runner is the lifestyle. Most of my workday consists of training. Every day I have a very specific goal as to what I want to accomplish, and I'm passionate about it. I also get to travel the world and meet a lot of incredible people in the process.

Click Here for all TF360 Archives



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