Week -7 went much better than expected. After the appalling start of the training cycle, it seems like my hopes of a sub-3 marathon are restored. (Not saying likely, though, but there is a positive probability!)
Here is the roundup: After the rest and recovery runs, I had a rather miserable 15-miler in heavy rain on Wednesday. But the most dreaded run came on Friday: 7 miles of lactate threshold. I went to the track to do it, and I wasn't sure at all if I could. I was aiming for between 6:25-6:30 for the first few miles (1600 to be exact), but it went better than expected, and I was bale to run my perceived threshold at a bit faster pace. I ended up running my 1600's in 6:19, 6:23, 6:21, 6:23, 6:21, 6:23, 6:22. The last mile got a bit hard (not surprisingly), but for about 10 kms I felt fairly comfortable.
It did trash my legs a bit, and I still felt it on Sunday, when I had a 22-mile run on the plan. This epic distance is the longest in the whole plan, and this week is arguably one of the hardest with the brutal threshold workout and 70 miles total. Nevertheless I chose to run the 22 in the southern end of The Parklands, so I could get some good elevation training (over 1000 ft). In windy weather I managed to run 22 miles. I was very tired by the end: it felt like the last miles of a marathon. But it was like the last miles of a good marathon: tired, but still in control, and able to run some fast last miles. I managed 7:31 average with a 7:04 last mile.
Now, on Monday, I feel quite beat up, but happy with the monster week. Phase 3 (race preparation) starts next week with tune-up races. Unfortunately there is no appropriate race for me within 2 hours of driving this weekend, so I'll just train: probably doing 10K of lactate threshold.
Monday, February 25
Monday, February 18
Week -8 was supposed to be recovery, and I think I've slightly overdone it.
I ran 6 x 800 VO2 max intervals of Wednesday on the high school track. It went well enough: 2:55, 2:56, 2:56, 2:57, 2:58, 2:59. It clearly got harder toward the end, but that was expected: my fitness has still ways to improve. It was painful for the last 200 meters, but I pushed it a bit to get under 3 minutes. My goal pace was originally 3:00/interval, but when the first four went under without trying too hard, I decide that I should put the last two under 3 minutes as well.
I ran 11 miles on Friday, and I went to Iroquois Park and back to put in some elevation; then on Sunday, I ran in rural Indiana putting in lots of elevation: 1125 ft in 15 miles. This is actually slightly more than the whole Bowling Green Marathon! My most elevation in a single run since November 25, 2017. Now, on Monday, my body feels it!
The next few weeks will be hard. High mileage and lots of workouts. Based on my recent runs, I think my shape is right around 3 hours for a flat course and 50 degrees, which is not the Boston Marathon. But I still have two months. There is some hope.
I ran 6 x 800 VO2 max intervals of Wednesday on the high school track. It went well enough: 2:55, 2:56, 2:56, 2:57, 2:58, 2:59. It clearly got harder toward the end, but that was expected: my fitness has still ways to improve. It was painful for the last 200 meters, but I pushed it a bit to get under 3 minutes. My goal pace was originally 3:00/interval, but when the first four went under without trying too hard, I decide that I should put the last two under 3 minutes as well.
I ran 11 miles on Friday, and I went to Iroquois Park and back to put in some elevation; then on Sunday, I ran in rural Indiana putting in lots of elevation: 1125 ft in 15 miles. This is actually slightly more than the whole Bowling Green Marathon! My most elevation in a single run since November 25, 2017. Now, on Monday, my body feels it!
The next few weeks will be hard. High mileage and lots of workouts. Based on my recent runs, I think my shape is right around 3 hours for a flat course and 50 degrees, which is not the Boston Marathon. But I still have two months. There is some hope.
Monday, February 11
Further schedule:
Week -8: 2/11
Week -7: 2/18
Week -6: 2/25
Week -5: 3/4
Week -4: 3/11
Week -3: 3/18
Week -2: 3/25
Week -1: 4/1
Race week: 4/8
In reality I have an extra day, because the marathon is on Monday, but it is easier to have a Monday-Sunday schedule, and the timing of the long runs and workouts works much better this way for my work schedule.
Tune-up races:
3/2, 3/16, 3/30
Probably no chance of racing in March 2-3: the map of the US has big hole for that weekend for races between 8K and 15K!
Week -8: 2/11
Week -7: 2/18
Week -6: 2/25
Week -5: 3/4
Week -4: 3/11
Week -3: 3/18
Week -2: 3/25
Week -1: 4/1
Race week: 4/8
In reality I have an extra day, because the marathon is on Monday, but it is easier to have a Monday-Sunday schedule, and the timing of the long runs and workouts works much better this way for my work schedule.
Tune-up races:
3/2, 3/16, 3/30
Probably no chance of racing in March 2-3: the map of the US has big hole for that weekend for races between 8K and 15K!
After about two months of silence, it is time to post. I'm halfway through the training that had its ups and downs. Here is the summary.
Week -16: Planned 55 miles with a single marathon paced run: 16 miles with 8 at marathon pace. I skipped that run altogether, because I replaced the clutch of my car, which was incredibly tiring and time consuming. There was no way I could do that run. The rest of the week was fine, but I only ran 39 miles.
Week -15: 58 miles with a 4/9 LT run (4 miles at LT pace out of 9 miles). We were out of town and I ran this on crazy hills by just effort. Splits are almost meaningless, but I managed 7:08, 7:01, 6:59, 7:03, which I though were OK for the hills. Maybe it was good that I didn't have a good measure how much (or little) it sucked. :) Just two days after this workout I ran a 15-mile long run at 7:32/mile.
Week -14: 62 miles with no real workout except the first 18-miler on Sunday. I ran a good 7:30 pace.
Week -13: 63 miles with a 5/9 LT run on Tuesday and 10/18 marathon paced on Sunday. The LT run still sucked: 6:28, 6:44, 6:46, 6:45, 6:32. At least it was better than the last one, and it was in some strong wind. The MP run went very well: I ran an average of 6:49 pace for the 10 miles. Kind of ridiculous that my marathon paced run is not much slower than my LT paced run. My endurance is probably fine, just my fitness sucks.
Week -12: Travel to a conference in Baltimore, so I missed a lot. I only ran 23 miles to stave off withdrawal. This would have been a cutback week anyway with 55 miles planned.
Week -11: 68 miles with 5/10 LT run on Tuesday, and the first 21-miler on Sunday. The LT runs are getting slowly better: 6:21, 6:38, 6:43, 6:37, 6:32. Still not good, but more and more acceptable. The long run went well. Three laps in the neighborhood for a 7:32 pace. It was flat though.
Week -10: Planned 66 miles with 6/11 LT run on Friday, and a 20-miler on Sunday. I took the LT run to the treadmill this time. (Somehow I didn't feel like running outside. There were some brutal cold runs this week.) I ran a constant 6:31 pace for the LT portion. If I could duplicate that outside, it would put my VDOT to ~53, which would correspond to a 3:01-3:02 marathon. Lots of hypotheticals. Worse yet, two days later I failed my 20-miler. I made many mistakes: sauerkraut (with possibly spoiled meat) for lunch, terrible diarrhea, running one way through the Parklands in constant headwind, sudden 67 F after training in freezing temps, carrying too much water in a Camelbak, stopping like 5 times for just phone calls... I hit the wall at mile 16 and I had to hike out to my car. Finished the week 4 miles and a long run short.
Week -9: This week originally had a 16-mile long run with 12 miles at marathon pace; no real workouts except a 15-mile and a 13-mile midweek long run to get to 67 miles. But after last week's failed long run, I decided it would benefit me more if I ran a 20-miler in the weekend. MP runs don't have much extra physiological benefit over slower long runs (according to Daniels). I cut 1 mile from the Saturday recovery, and ended up with 70 miles for the week. The first time since September 2017. I ran my 20-miler at 7:38 pace, finishing it pretty strong.
Week -16: Planned 55 miles with a single marathon paced run: 16 miles with 8 at marathon pace. I skipped that run altogether, because I replaced the clutch of my car, which was incredibly tiring and time consuming. There was no way I could do that run. The rest of the week was fine, but I only ran 39 miles.
Week -15: 58 miles with a 4/9 LT run (4 miles at LT pace out of 9 miles). We were out of town and I ran this on crazy hills by just effort. Splits are almost meaningless, but I managed 7:08, 7:01, 6:59, 7:03, which I though were OK for the hills. Maybe it was good that I didn't have a good measure how much (or little) it sucked. :) Just two days after this workout I ran a 15-mile long run at 7:32/mile.
Week -14: 62 miles with no real workout except the first 18-miler on Sunday. I ran a good 7:30 pace.
Week -13: 63 miles with a 5/9 LT run on Tuesday and 10/18 marathon paced on Sunday. The LT run still sucked: 6:28, 6:44, 6:46, 6:45, 6:32. At least it was better than the last one, and it was in some strong wind. The MP run went very well: I ran an average of 6:49 pace for the 10 miles. Kind of ridiculous that my marathon paced run is not much slower than my LT paced run. My endurance is probably fine, just my fitness sucks.
Week -12: Travel to a conference in Baltimore, so I missed a lot. I only ran 23 miles to stave off withdrawal. This would have been a cutback week anyway with 55 miles planned.
Week -11: 68 miles with 5/10 LT run on Tuesday, and the first 21-miler on Sunday. The LT runs are getting slowly better: 6:21, 6:38, 6:43, 6:37, 6:32. Still not good, but more and more acceptable. The long run went well. Three laps in the neighborhood for a 7:32 pace. It was flat though.
Week -10: Planned 66 miles with 6/11 LT run on Friday, and a 20-miler on Sunday. I took the LT run to the treadmill this time. (Somehow I didn't feel like running outside. There were some brutal cold runs this week.) I ran a constant 6:31 pace for the LT portion. If I could duplicate that outside, it would put my VDOT to ~53, which would correspond to a 3:01-3:02 marathon. Lots of hypotheticals. Worse yet, two days later I failed my 20-miler. I made many mistakes: sauerkraut (with possibly spoiled meat) for lunch, terrible diarrhea, running one way through the Parklands in constant headwind, sudden 67 F after training in freezing temps, carrying too much water in a Camelbak, stopping like 5 times for just phone calls... I hit the wall at mile 16 and I had to hike out to my car. Finished the week 4 miles and a long run short.
Week -9: This week originally had a 16-mile long run with 12 miles at marathon pace; no real workouts except a 15-mile and a 13-mile midweek long run to get to 67 miles. But after last week's failed long run, I decided it would benefit me more if I ran a 20-miler in the weekend. MP runs don't have much extra physiological benefit over slower long runs (according to Daniels). I cut 1 mile from the Saturday recovery, and ended up with 70 miles for the week. The first time since September 2017. I ran my 20-miler at 7:38 pace, finishing it pretty strong.
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