Chicago Marathon Training Week 7 Review

6 Runs

47 Miles

16 Mile Long Run

7 weeks of formal marathon training in the books, 11 to go.  Though my running stats are not impressive by many standards, this week saw the highest millage of my recorded history (since HS) and my longest run ever.  Combine that with the fact that, besides a nagging toe pain, I’m mostly injury free, and 2 of the last 4 weeks have been abbreviated by traveling and a strained back (moving injury), I feel it’s time to start rehashing the weekly training for posterity’s sake.

Last week was shortened by missed runs because of a trip to Mexico, the side effects of said trip, and a wedding weekend in Illinois.  I did manage to get in my 2 key workouts – a 7 mile marathon paced effort Friday and a 12 mile LSD on Saturday (before 5 hours of golf…) but nothing more.  Runs at the beginning of this week were also slightly hampered by the lingering effects of Mexico, but I managed a solid – if not completed speed workout on Wednesday and seem to be fully recovered now.

Wednesday I was at the track at 6 to do a 400 speed workout.  The goal was 4x(4x400), but I was limited to 3 sets of 4x400 by time and my old racing flats destroying my heals.  Each 400 was however a fair bit faster than goal (75 seconds vs. a goal of 80) and still feeling relatively easy – so I feel pretty comfortable with the workout as a whole.

I survived most of Friday’s marathon pace effort, cruising through 5 averaging just under the 6:44 / mile target, before succumbing to the 87 degree humid temperatures and phoning in the final 2 miles at 8:20 pace to make sure I’d have something for Saturday’s long run.

Saturday’s 16 miler felt relatively good.  Veronica and I met up with Ali and Coston from the Running Company at 6:30 and I hung with them through the first 8 miles of the run at a very comfortable 9 min/mile pace (slightly slower than I should be going, I know.)  At the turn around I picked the pace up to a still comfortable 7:20-7:30 pace.  I was comfortable with the pace for the next 4 miles.  A short unintentional race with another runner, which ended abruptly when the other runner decided to walk after 2 miles, saw my pace hit 6:20 at times despite me trying to let him go and just run easy.  The pace, paired with temperatures approaching 87 (with a dew point around 77) forced my pace to slide to 8 min/mile with long stops at every water fountain to splash around and rehydrate.  I also practiced with the energy gels – a gu at 7 and another at 10.5.  Neither affected my stomach, but I’m not sure what the real effects were energy wise.  After the run my legs felt surprisingly good, though the body was definitely dehydrated.

I’m finding with this Miami summer training, that I really can’t adjust to the heat and humidity.  It’s making it very difficult to truly assess where I am in my training, and if my marathon goals are still realistic.  Last week’s marathon pace effort wasn’t as easy as it should have been at 70F (and my pacing wasn’t great either after averaging 6:36 / mile vs. the goal 6:44).  All I can do is push as far as I think I can safely and hope putting in these hot miles will pay off in October!