5 Runs
53.5 Miles
19 Mile Long Run
Another week of training in the books, another bench mark for longest run and highest weekly millage. I think my training took another solid, injury free step forward this week. The key workouts for the week were a 6 mile steady state run on Wednesday, a 10 mile marathon pace run on Friday and a 19 miler on Saturday.
The steady state run on Wednesday played out just the way it should, with all six miles coming in under 6:32 and the last 3 being faster than the first 3 (6:30, 6:30, 6:32, 6:25, 6:28, 6:25). The right knee did start bugging me at one point during the run and after the run it bothered me most of the day, but seemed to get better during the rest of the week. I'm still really struggling with consistent pacing, but getting through this workout without too much straining is probably a good sign.
Friday's run was again pretty solid as I averaged 6:42 for 10 miles (goal 6:44). Pacing was again a problem, and the pacing is being helped a little by quick stops for water where the clock stops, but I'll still take it. Stomach is still acting up occasionally as it did in the middle of this run - I need to get my eating situation figured out so I can figure out what I'm going to need to eat before the Marathon for an issue free race...
Saturday's long run turned out pretty good, all be it purposefully slow in the warm temperatures. The temperatures cracked 85 before the end of the run despite getting out the door at 5:40. A pop-tart and chea fresca before the run and a gu at mile 12 is all I used to get through 19, though I was dragging a bit at mile 12 - probably mostly due to the 5 mile stretch without water. However the gu and a short stop for a gut full of water kicked in a couple miles later as I was able to finish the run in relatively strong fashion with the last 5 miles being under 7:20 and the last being a 7:05. A confidence builder considering how easy I was still working at that point.
Saturday afternoon, when I thought my running week (or at least day) was over I was (maybe somewhat) reluctantly talked into running a beer mile with the HHH. Oliver and Chris wanted to go run it so Veronica agreed to be the DD for them and I decided to tag along at the last minute to check it out, not really expecting much on tired legs. Lucky I didn't expect much because I didn't get much - a 7:24 (which was good for tied for second). I had some serious doubts the first 2 laps as I fell way behind on the drinking. I was a full half lap behind an older (slightly bigger) gentlemen by the time I had finished my first beer and despite catching up during the lap fell almost as far behind on my second beer. The third and fourth beers surprisingly went down easier and I had more than a comfortable lead by the end of the mile, though I was beaten by someone in a later heat. Probably not the recovery I needed, but the beer mile followed by a delicious bbq was a fun way to end the day!
A good week overall - starting to look forward to running in cooler temperatures though!!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Chicago Marathon Training Week 9 Review
Step Down Week
5 Runs
45 Miles
13.75 Mile Long Run
I had a step down week on my initial schedule and even though some lower-than-planned weeks previously probably would have allowed me to comfortably increase millage at this point, I decided to keep to the plan as it's been keeping me happily uninjured thus far.
Wednesday I had a cruise interval workout planned, but a meeting at work required me to get in early so I switched things up and did a tempo from home to save myself the drive and rest time between intervals. I managed 5 miles tending towards the faster side of my interval zone and better yet, they were progressively faster as the workout went on (6:17, 6:19, 6:13, 6:10, 6:08). So despite working pretty hard for that last mile, I was pretty happy with the workout all things considered (in particular the constant battle with heat and humidity here in South Florida...)
Friday I put in a solid MP 8 mile run, the slowest mile being a 6:50 which included the uphill on the Rickenbacker right before the turn around. Several of the miles were closer to 6:30 (goal was 6:44) so again, pretty happy with the workout and how I was feeling during and after despite feeling like I was working for it on the last 2 miles.
I followed up Friday's run with a "short" long run on Saturday. Late Friday I was asked and agreed to lead the Running Company's long group run in the absence of the normal leaders. Normally this means significantly slower than normal pace but I got lucky and the only one to show up was a guy visiting from North Florida who's run Boston before and was probably in better shape than I am, so I got to enjoy running with a partner at the pace I wanted to run. We went through about 13.7 miles at a comfortable conversation pace of 7:43 while battling 88 degree temperatures and drowning humidity. It was definitely enjoyable running with a more evenly paired partner and certainly much easier to keep going when you're starting to get tired (I had neglected proper rest and food, opting for a Friday Happy Hour figuring on a super easy run so I was starting to feel things at mile 10.)
Over all a solid week, the legs are feeling strong and ready for another step up in millage climaxing with a 19 miler next weekend.
5 Runs
45 Miles
13.75 Mile Long Run
I had a step down week on my initial schedule and even though some lower-than-planned weeks previously probably would have allowed me to comfortably increase millage at this point, I decided to keep to the plan as it's been keeping me happily uninjured thus far.
Wednesday I had a cruise interval workout planned, but a meeting at work required me to get in early so I switched things up and did a tempo from home to save myself the drive and rest time between intervals. I managed 5 miles tending towards the faster side of my interval zone and better yet, they were progressively faster as the workout went on (6:17, 6:19, 6:13, 6:10, 6:08). So despite working pretty hard for that last mile, I was pretty happy with the workout all things considered (in particular the constant battle with heat and humidity here in South Florida...)
Friday I put in a solid MP 8 mile run, the slowest mile being a 6:50 which included the uphill on the Rickenbacker right before the turn around. Several of the miles were closer to 6:30 (goal was 6:44) so again, pretty happy with the workout and how I was feeling during and after despite feeling like I was working for it on the last 2 miles.
I followed up Friday's run with a "short" long run on Saturday. Late Friday I was asked and agreed to lead the Running Company's long group run in the absence of the normal leaders. Normally this means significantly slower than normal pace but I got lucky and the only one to show up was a guy visiting from North Florida who's run Boston before and was probably in better shape than I am, so I got to enjoy running with a partner at the pace I wanted to run. We went through about 13.7 miles at a comfortable conversation pace of 7:43 while battling 88 degree temperatures and drowning humidity. It was definitely enjoyable running with a more evenly paired partner and certainly much easier to keep going when you're starting to get tired (I had neglected proper rest and food, opting for a Friday Happy Hour figuring on a super easy run so I was starting to feel things at mile 10.)
Over all a solid week, the legs are feeling strong and ready for another step up in millage climaxing with a 19 miler next weekend.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Chicago Marathon Training Week 8 Review
Fought through some ups and downs this week as I begin to really see the benefit of a training partner - or, more precisely, the difficulties of not having one. I read other's blogs about planning workout strategies with their partners and the pushing and boosts they get when running with someone else and find myself really wishing I had that support during some of my runs. It's great being able to discuss overall training strategy with Veronica since she already has a few marathons finished, but I still put in most of my miles by myself. Maybe in the next training cycle I'll get lucky and find someone training for the local marathon at about the same pace as I'm going...
Started this week a little rough, an easy 9 miler that can be described as anything but easy. For some reason there was a major disconnect between what my legs were telling me and what my Garmin was telling me. I sailed through the first mile thinking I might have been a little quicker than I was supposed to be, only to find out I was significantly slower than target pace. I found myself pushing much more than I felt I should have been just to hit my easy pace targets and my heart rate just wouldn't jump into the normal range. It wasn't that my legs were heavy, just things weren't adding up... It was a weird day...
Luckily I rebounded nicely by destroying my Yasso 800 workout on Wednesday. I even extended the workout it felt so easy and will probably go and change the other 2 Yasso workouts on the schedule to something slightly more challenging. Thursday was an easy run with the HHH (beer included) and Friday was another strong easy run where everything just felt easy and I even squeezed off a marathon pace mile to finish the workout.
Things came falling back to earth on Saturday however as my 17 mile fast finish effort turned into a 16 and change death march. The temperatures were soaring into the upper 80s before I finished the run and my fast finish effort yielded 2 sub 7 miles on the back half before stumbling in the last couple of miles after hitting the wall at about 15 (as opposed to averaging about 6:44 for the last 8 with the last 2 or so around 10k pace...) I tried one of the Razz Cliff Gus that will be on the menu at Chicago and had trouble choking it down without water at 9.5 miles, and despite hitting every water stop on my route (12 in all) I was majorly dehydrated by the time I stumbled in my front door. My only comfort (as self centered as it is) is that Veronica struggled with the long run as well and she already has 5 marathons and a BQ under her belt since she's been living and training in this heat. We'll probably be hitting the roads an hour earlier next week to try to save a few degrees.
The major lesson from this week's long run was that I really can't push distance and pace in these temperatures. My long runs are longer than I've ever run before, my weekly totals are higher than they've been in at least 8 years (if not ever) and I'm still trying to push pace in high 80 degree weather... I'm changing the last 2 FF runs to optional FF (if it's going to be below 80, which seems unlikely) and I'm just going to focus on getting quality miles in. My sub 3 goal for a first Marathon might be too ambitious, but I'm not giving up on it yet, but I need to make sure I don't kill myself or totally destroy my confidence in these long runs... Ah the joy of training in South Florida...
Started this week a little rough, an easy 9 miler that can be described as anything but easy. For some reason there was a major disconnect between what my legs were telling me and what my Garmin was telling me. I sailed through the first mile thinking I might have been a little quicker than I was supposed to be, only to find out I was significantly slower than target pace. I found myself pushing much more than I felt I should have been just to hit my easy pace targets and my heart rate just wouldn't jump into the normal range. It wasn't that my legs were heavy, just things weren't adding up... It was a weird day...
Luckily I rebounded nicely by destroying my Yasso 800 workout on Wednesday. I even extended the workout it felt so easy and will probably go and change the other 2 Yasso workouts on the schedule to something slightly more challenging. Thursday was an easy run with the HHH (beer included) and Friday was another strong easy run where everything just felt easy and I even squeezed off a marathon pace mile to finish the workout.
Things came falling back to earth on Saturday however as my 17 mile fast finish effort turned into a 16 and change death march. The temperatures were soaring into the upper 80s before I finished the run and my fast finish effort yielded 2 sub 7 miles on the back half before stumbling in the last couple of miles after hitting the wall at about 15 (as opposed to averaging about 6:44 for the last 8 with the last 2 or so around 10k pace...) I tried one of the Razz Cliff Gus that will be on the menu at Chicago and had trouble choking it down without water at 9.5 miles, and despite hitting every water stop on my route (12 in all) I was majorly dehydrated by the time I stumbled in my front door. My only comfort (as self centered as it is) is that Veronica struggled with the long run as well and she already has 5 marathons and a BQ under her belt since she's been living and training in this heat. We'll probably be hitting the roads an hour earlier next week to try to save a few degrees.
The major lesson from this week's long run was that I really can't push distance and pace in these temperatures. My long runs are longer than I've ever run before, my weekly totals are higher than they've been in at least 8 years (if not ever) and I'm still trying to push pace in high 80 degree weather... I'm changing the last 2 FF runs to optional FF (if it's going to be below 80, which seems unlikely) and I'm just going to focus on getting quality miles in. My sub 3 goal for a first Marathon might be too ambitious, but I'm not giving up on it yet, but I need to make sure I don't kill myself or totally destroy my confidence in these long runs... Ah the joy of training in South Florida...
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