Peter goes on a solo podcast and discusses how he got into nearly 10 years ago, his first race, his first marathon, his first ultramarathon, nutrition, here, training, and plans.
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Races:
Category: Race
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Peter Runs the 2026 M.O.M.’s Run in the Altra Vanish Carbons
Okay, I have to admit I was surprised. I had had a pretty stressful week leading up to this race, and I didn’t sleep all that well the night before. I went into this race planning to treat it as a time trial for my Next Big Race™️. I was expecting to run it somewhere in the 8-9 minute per mile pace.
I used my time trial structured workout with my Garmin Forerunner 965, synced from my Coach Parry dashboard. It called for a 10 minute easy run, followed by 5 30 second runs at around an 8:30 pace, followed by 30 seconds of cooldown at around 13.30. I did that with a few minutes to spare and made my way to the starting line.
The whole time, I was a little worried that the new Altra Vanish Carbons felt a little restricted at the top. My toes weren’t hitting the front of the shoe, but they were rubbing against the top. This is the same phenomenon that kept me from buying the Altra Escalante 3 and that I later also discovered in the Altra Torin 7. The design from that year seems to have spilled over into the Vanish Carbon, leaving less toe room. As someone who has gotten black and blue toenails (and lost one – twice) this wasn’t a good feeling.
What was a good feeling was how fast I was at the outset. The shoes did make me feel faster, and I had to actually brake a couple of times to avoid crashing into other runners who were zigging as I was zagging trying to pass them. While it wasn’t my plan, I went all out. I looked at my Garmin and read my heart rate (working with the Polar Verity Sense) and it showed me at 171 bpm. I was concerned. Later I saw my HR go over 173. A few years ago, that was pretty much the top end of my range. I really was working hard!
And the first mile or so of this course was uphill! I pressed on, regardless. My breathing was labored, but I was moving and I did not want to slow down.
Well, I did slow down, but only a little!
I did not expect to set a new personal best in the 1km, 1mi, 2mi, or 5km distances, but – somehow – that’s exactly what happened.
Screenshot Afterward there was food, and it was tasty! Good pizza, pasta, chicken fingers, and – perhaps most importantly – beer! Worth the price of admission, will run again.
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Marblehead Half Marathon 2026
This weekend I had the pleasure(?) of running the Marblehead Half Marathon. Not only did I run it, I set a new personal best! My previous record for 13.1 miles was during the Derry Cheap Marathon in 2022, when I hit the halfway point at around 2:02. I finished Marblehead in 1:58:23, so that’s my new time to beat.
TL;DR
The course was well marked. They started on time. Parking was plentiful. Instructions were clear. Aid stations were spaced well. The food at the end was rewarding, and included chicken sliders, donuts, and even Athletic Brewing NA beers! The ocean views were pleasant.
The Gear
In addition to my Garmin Forerunner 965, I wore my Salomon Adv Skin 12 and [altra_escalante]. Between me and the Altras were a pair of Coolmax socks. Up top, I had a Port Authority cap. Even though it wasn’t hot – the temps were in the 40s the whole time – the cap kept the sun and sweat out of my eyes. I also “wore” Neutrogena Sun Screen, which did a fine job keeping me safe from the nasty UV rays that want to prematurely age my skin.
Even though I did not carry water, as aid stations were plenty, I found the Salomon Adv Skin 12 useful for carrying my phone, airpods, and energy gel.
The Course
The course itself was a bit hillier than other road halfs I have done, but not unmanageable. I used my Garmin Forerunner 965‘s PacePro to set a pacing strategy. I found its in-race guidance very helpful and not at all annoying. It adjusted my targets every mile based on my previous splits, which was helpful.
I would absolutely run this race again. 👍
The Training
Last year I joined Coach Lindsay Parry’s coaching program to prepare for my first 50 miler. I used their program again to train for Marblehead this year. They helped me balance speed work, long runs, and recovery. They also set time trials and adjusted my training paces based on their results. Thanks in no small part to them, and my coach at Fit In New England, I was able to shave nearly 4 minutes off my fastest 13.1 mile segment (and nearly 7 minutes off my fastest 13.1 mile race in 2022)!
