Monday, December 30th:
2:45pm, 42 degrees, 54%, 10-20mph. Cherry Hill West. Saucony Cortana 3.
9mi total - 2.5mi warmup, 4x strides, 4x1200m (4:04 04 06 04) w/400m recovery jogs (2:13-:14), 2mi cooldown
My legs felt unusually flat and heavy before I even started the workout. The windy conditions certainly didn't help matters. But while I never felt great or locked in during the workout, I was able to maintain the pace I wanted to (was targeting 4:03-:06). Once again, I had to "go to the well" on the last lap of the last rep, but I recovered quickly and didn't slow down for the recovery lap jog. I know these 5K pace intervals will serve me well whenever I decide to jump in a 5K, but I am not gonna lie, they effing hurt when you do them by yourself, especially in crappy weather! :)
Tuesday, December 31st:
5:45am, 25 degrees, 53%, calm. Moorestown. New Balance 1260v2.
8mi recovery - (8:29)
Threw in a couple of sub-8:00/mi surges, but otherwise kept it slow and easy after yesterday's workout. Plus it was tough to warmup in today's cold temps. Thankfully I had Colleen, Steve, and Jamie to key off of for most of the run, even while they did their hill workout. Definitely a morning where you are grateful to have company - otherwise you might not ever head out the door!
11:55am, 32 degrees, 55%, 10mph. 2x Neighborhood Loop. Nike Pegasus 29 USATF.
4mi easy - (7:39)
Felt so much snappier with light, quick turnover this afternoon. Form felt really tight with no wasted motion. First time in a few days I have felt really fresh on a run. Great way to cap off the year.
Wednesday, January 1st:
7:10am, 27 degrees, 52%, calm. Maple Ave out and back. New Balance 1260v2.
7mi easy - (8:01)
Started strong, but tired out toward the end. Some minor right groin/hip flexor tightness. Did some good stretching afterward. Will obviously monitor the tightness, as that is the side I had the stress fractures before, but I think it really is just muscle tightness from the cold weather. Will run much easier on the second run today to see if that helps loosen it up.
12:00pm, 36 degrees, 45%, calm. Moorestown. Adidas Supernova Glide 5.
5.5mi recovery - (8:17): including 4x :20 fast strides after (4:50-5:10/mi pace)
Felt SO, SO good to run a super easy conversational pace - progressed from 9:10-8:00/mi. Great catching up with Terry, JP, Dawn, Liz, Stilley and others. Nice way to ring in the New Year. Strides after felt powerful.
Thursday, January 2nd:
9:00am, 34 degrees, 79%, 10-15mph. 3x CHW Loop. Adidas Adizero Boston 3.
12.5mi total - 3mi warmup, 4x strides, 3x (1.75mi@6:24/.25mi@5:58), 3mi cooldown
Not sure where the energy came from on this one. Conditions were terrible (although nothing like they will be this weekend). Warmup was super slow (8:23/mi pace). But as soon as I started the tempo, things just clicked. The wind didn't seem to affect me at all. I actually felt better and stronger on the .25mi surges. Had tons of energy left on the third loop and had to hold myself back somewhat to not go faster than the planned paces. I took Gatorade around 2.25mi and 4.25mi of the tempo, but rather than gulping it down, I tried to keep small traces in my mouth for longer periods of time before swallowing. That seemed to help also. Felt like a real Hansons runner today. I'll take it.
3:05pm, 28 degrees, 80%, 10mph. Kilmer Neighborhoods. Nike Pegasus 29 USATF.
3mi recovery - (8:23)
Snuck in a few easy miles while waiting to pickup Frankie from school. I can feel the cold Arctic air already starting to sneak in. Tomorrow should be fun.
Friday, January 3rd:
9:55am, 15 degrees, 54%, 15-35mph. 1.5x Neighborhood Loop. Adidas Supernova Glide 5.
3mi slow in the snow - (9:22)
I had planned on taking off day since I was feeling a little beat up from the week. But once I finished shoveling the sidewalk/driveway/cars, I figured I was "warmed up" and wouldn't head back out if I went into the house, so I braved the elements for 3 very easy miles around the neighborhood. I loved all the looks I got from people shoveling their sidewalks and cars. Hopefully I can get some more good stretching in today to loosen up my right quad/hamstring/hip flexor.
Saturday, January 4th:
7:15am, 4 degrees!, 63%, calm. Moorestown. New Balance 1260v2.
7.5mi easy - (8:17)
Didn't feel my toes for the first 3 miles. Otherwise, I dressed appropriately and fed off the company of Rich, Tom, and Jamie. The sun came out for the second half of the run, and we finally got some clear roads for the last 1.5mi or so. Definitely a run where you are glad you have good company to make that hour disappear as quickly as possible!
Sunday, January 5th:
6:50am, 29-33 degrees, 80%, light freezing rain. CH Mall Parking Lot. Saucony Cortana 3.
12.5mi total - 1mi warmup, 4x strides, 10mi@6:58/mi, 1mi cooldown
Absolutely miserable day for running. I thought the roads would be pretty clear but there were still a lot of slick patches, which forced me to take short, choppy strides and work harder than I had planned. The freezing rain started about 3mi into the run, which got my socks/shoes/gloves wet and made the rest of the run even more miserable. I probably should have bagged this thing a few miles in, but I soldiered on to get 10mi moderate running in, although I had originally planned 13mi moderate. My hamstrings both started cramping from the cold weather, so I am just hoping I didn't do any longer term damage by trying to be a tough guy today. At least I have the rest of the day to relax.
Weekly Total: 72 miles
I have noticed that I have recently reverted back to some bad old habits that ended up getting me injured: 1) running workouts harder than I should, 2) giving too much importance to weekly mileage instead of proper recovery on non-workout days, 3) trying to do what's "on the schedule" instead of adjusting due to conditions. I am making a pact with myself that I am going to do a lot more listening to my body, not worrying about mileage/workouts, and letting the fitness come rather than forcing it. I am not sure exactly how that will look with my schedule moving forward, but maybe that's the point.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Monday, December 23, 2013
Winter 2014 Base Training, Week 1
Monday, December 23rd:
6:00am, 60 degrees, 96%, 0-5mph, light rain. Maple Shade Loop (S). Adidas Supernova Glide 5.
5mi recovery - (8:31)
Slow shuffle after yesterday's effort. Started feeling stronger and looser for the last 1mi+. It was actually nice running in a light rain today.
Tuesday, December 24th:
8:30am, 36 degrees, 55%, 5-10mph. Moorestown. New Balance 1260v2.
8mi easy - (7:41): with 2x.25mi (72, 70) with .25mi recovery jogs (2:00)
Even though there was a slight tailwind and I had Tom pulling me along, I was surprised to see how effortlessly I cruised those fast quarters on Stanwick, and after already having 6mi in my legs for the run. I don't want to get ahead of myself with my current fitness level, but I have a pretty good idea what kind of mile I could run right now, and it is faster than I had previously imagined. Very good sign considering I am in MARATHON training right now. :)
Wednesday, December 25th:
Merry Christmas!
Rest.
Thursday, December 26th:
8:30am, 29-34 degrees, 70%, 0-5mph. Moorestown. Saucony Cortana 3.
10mi total - (7:24): 2.6mi warmup, 4x1mi (6:48 46 48 5:46) w/90s rests, 3.3mi cooldown
Nice group run with Tom, Colleen, and Mike. Paced Gozdan for the first 3 repeats and jumped in with Tom and Colleen for the last one of theirs. Very controlled and relaxed throughout the quality segments. Nice to hit around 10k PR pace rather comfortably during that last mile. Great way to get in some light quality during my recovery week while helping out some teammates. 'Tis the season!
Friday, December 27th:
5:00am, 25 degrees, 80%, calm. Maple Shade Loop (S). New Balance 1260v2.
5mi recovery - (8:19)
Cold morning. Kept the pace slow and comfortable.
Saturday, December 28th:
6:15am, 28-31 degrees, 70%, 0-5mph. Moorestown. Adidas Adizero Boston 3.
11.5mi easy - (7:55)
Relaxing, conversational run with the group. Me, Colleen, and Jamie for the first 5 miles; added Jason and Steve for the final 6.5 miles. Didn't think about time or pace at all today - just ran easy and let the conversation take care of the rest.
Sunday, December 29th:
5:00am, 40 degrees, 70%, calm. Kilmer Loop. New Balance 1260v2.
6.5mi easy - (7:54): including 4x :20 fast strides after (5:00-:20/mi pace)
Eased into the run and finished feeling great with the strides. Itching for next week's workouts!
Weekly Total: 46 miles
6:00am, 60 degrees, 96%, 0-5mph, light rain. Maple Shade Loop (S). Adidas Supernova Glide 5.
5mi recovery - (8:31)
Slow shuffle after yesterday's effort. Started feeling stronger and looser for the last 1mi+. It was actually nice running in a light rain today.
Tuesday, December 24th:
8:30am, 36 degrees, 55%, 5-10mph. Moorestown. New Balance 1260v2.
8mi easy - (7:41): with 2x.25mi (72, 70) with .25mi recovery jogs (2:00)
Even though there was a slight tailwind and I had Tom pulling me along, I was surprised to see how effortlessly I cruised those fast quarters on Stanwick, and after already having 6mi in my legs for the run. I don't want to get ahead of myself with my current fitness level, but I have a pretty good idea what kind of mile I could run right now, and it is faster than I had previously imagined. Very good sign considering I am in MARATHON training right now. :)
Wednesday, December 25th:
Merry Christmas!
Rest.
Thursday, December 26th:
8:30am, 29-34 degrees, 70%, 0-5mph. Moorestown. Saucony Cortana 3.
10mi total - (7:24): 2.6mi warmup, 4x1mi (6:48 46 48 5:46) w/90s rests, 3.3mi cooldown
Nice group run with Tom, Colleen, and Mike. Paced Gozdan for the first 3 repeats and jumped in with Tom and Colleen for the last one of theirs. Very controlled and relaxed throughout the quality segments. Nice to hit around 10k PR pace rather comfortably during that last mile. Great way to get in some light quality during my recovery week while helping out some teammates. 'Tis the season!
Friday, December 27th:
5:00am, 25 degrees, 80%, calm. Maple Shade Loop (S). New Balance 1260v2.
5mi recovery - (8:19)
Cold morning. Kept the pace slow and comfortable.
Saturday, December 28th:
6:15am, 28-31 degrees, 70%, 0-5mph. Moorestown. Adidas Adizero Boston 3.
11.5mi easy - (7:55)
Relaxing, conversational run with the group. Me, Colleen, and Jamie for the first 5 miles; added Jason and Steve for the final 6.5 miles. Didn't think about time or pace at all today - just ran easy and let the conversation take care of the rest.
Sunday, December 29th:
5:00am, 40 degrees, 70%, calm. Kilmer Loop. New Balance 1260v2.
6.5mi easy - (7:54): including 4x :20 fast strides after (5:00-:20/mi pace)
Eased into the run and finished feeling great with the strides. Itching for next week's workouts!
Weekly Total: 46 miles
I don’t want to jump the gun, especially on such a little
body of evidence, but I have the feeling that if things continue to progress
the way they are this cycle, I am going to come out a completely different
runner than the one going in. I just
FEEL different already, which is very exciting. For now, I will continue with the plan of
running three 70mi+/weeks for every one recovery/down week (45-50/mi) and then
probably jump into my first race (5k-10k) sometime in February. Most likely eyeing an April marathon for the
goal race.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Fall 2013 Base Training, Week 13
Monday, December 16th:
8:00pm, 24 degrees, 50%, 0-5mph. Cherry Hill West Track. Saucony Cortana 3.
9mi total - 2mi warmup, 4x100m strides, 6x800m (2:41 44 43 44 42 41) w/400m recovery jogs (2:07-:10), 2mi cooldown
I am not a big fan of racing workouts, but every now and then it is good to have to hurt REALLY badly, and to show the track who's really the boss. I realized afterward that I had 14 miles in my legs from yesterday, which may have accounted for the feeling of a slower turnover. Or, who knows, it could have been the 24 DEGREE WEATHER!
Regardless, I was feeling this workout after the 3rd interval, and really had to fight hard each step of the way. I thought I was cooked after the 5th interval, but somehow I mustered the fight to run the last one even faster. I really left it out on the track tonight. This is one of those workouts that I will look back on either as a stepping stone for taking things to the next level, or with the hindsight of second-guessing my foolish recklessness. Tonight, I just want to admire my tenacity. :)
Tuesday, December 17th:
6:45pm, 28 degrees, 82%, 0-5mph. Maple Shade Loop (M). Adidas Supernova Glide 5.
6mi recovery - (8:00)
Very smoothed and relaxed tonight. Could have run faster if I wanted to, but after the last couple of days, I wisely held back.
Wednesday, December 18th:
7:45pm, 29 degrees, 63%, 5mph. Hialeah - 2x Valley Run - Hialeah. New Balance 1260v2.
9.5mi easy - (7:45)
Got stronger and stronger as the run progressed. 8:18/mi down to 7:31/mi. Not sure where this energy is coming from right now, but I'll take it.
Thursday, December 19th:
6:25pm, 44 degrees, 56%, calm. Maple Shade Loop (M). New Balance 1260v2.
6.5mi easy - (7:50): including 4x :20 fast strides (5:00-:20/mi) afterward
Super, super smooth in the warmer temps tonight. Really able to practice good form and drive on the strides.
Friday, December 20th:
5:10am, 38 degrees, 75%, 0-5mph. 3x CHW Loop. Saucony Cortana 3.
10.5mi total - 1.75mi warmup, 4x:20 strides, 6mi @ goal marathon pace 6:21 (23 22 22 20 22 19), 1.75mi cooldown, 4x:20 strides
Pretty consistent running this morning. Felt more relaxed and manageable for each 2 mile loop, and I took a gulp of Gatorade after each loop as well. About 1/4mi into the last mile of the tempo, I was running 6:27/mi pace which caused me to press a little. The next thing I knew, I was working too hard and averaging 6:15/mi through 1k, meaning I picked up the pace to low 6:00s - probably why I was starting to feel it. Next time, I'll just continue to keep the same effort and not worry if my splits are off a little. I have to keep remembering that on race day, it is more important to keep the relaxed "feeling" of marathon pace than the actual split. Still very pleased for another solo early morning effort.
10:40am, 45 degrees, 65%, 5-10mph. 2x Neighborhood Loop. Nike Pegasus 29 USATF.
4mi recovery - (8:13)
Nice, slow jaunt around the neighborhood. First run with no hat or gloves in awhile. It's amazing how much energy the sun really gives you. :)
Saturday, December 21st:
7:00am, 47 degrees, 85%, 0-5mph. Moorestown. New Balance 1260v2.
11.5mi easy - (7:31): including 4x :20 strides (5:20-:40/mi) afterward
Casual group run with Tom, Colleen, and Jamie. Just stayed tucked behind the two big guys most of the run and let the time disappear. Felt surprisingly spry on the strides after that amount of time on my feet.
Sunday, December 22nd:
7:00am, 65-70 degrees, 85-75%, 15-25mph. 3x Tavistock Loop. Adidas Adizero Boston 3.
15mi total - 3mi warmup, 10mi cutdown (7:35 24 14 04 6:53 46 32 24 17 04), 2mi cooldown
8:00pm, 24 degrees, 50%, 0-5mph. Cherry Hill West Track. Saucony Cortana 3.
9mi total - 2mi warmup, 4x100m strides, 6x800m (2:41 44 43 44 42 41) w/400m recovery jogs (2:07-:10), 2mi cooldown
I am not a big fan of racing workouts, but every now and then it is good to have to hurt REALLY badly, and to show the track who's really the boss. I realized afterward that I had 14 miles in my legs from yesterday, which may have accounted for the feeling of a slower turnover. Or, who knows, it could have been the 24 DEGREE WEATHER!
Regardless, I was feeling this workout after the 3rd interval, and really had to fight hard each step of the way. I thought I was cooked after the 5th interval, but somehow I mustered the fight to run the last one even faster. I really left it out on the track tonight. This is one of those workouts that I will look back on either as a stepping stone for taking things to the next level, or with the hindsight of second-guessing my foolish recklessness. Tonight, I just want to admire my tenacity. :)
Tuesday, December 17th:
6:45pm, 28 degrees, 82%, 0-5mph. Maple Shade Loop (M). Adidas Supernova Glide 5.
6mi recovery - (8:00)
Very smoothed and relaxed tonight. Could have run faster if I wanted to, but after the last couple of days, I wisely held back.
Wednesday, December 18th:
7:45pm, 29 degrees, 63%, 5mph. Hialeah - 2x Valley Run - Hialeah. New Balance 1260v2.
9.5mi easy - (7:45)
Got stronger and stronger as the run progressed. 8:18/mi down to 7:31/mi. Not sure where this energy is coming from right now, but I'll take it.
Thursday, December 19th:
6:25pm, 44 degrees, 56%, calm. Maple Shade Loop (M). New Balance 1260v2.
6.5mi easy - (7:50): including 4x :20 fast strides (5:00-:20/mi) afterward
Super, super smooth in the warmer temps tonight. Really able to practice good form and drive on the strides.
Friday, December 20th:
5:10am, 38 degrees, 75%, 0-5mph. 3x CHW Loop. Saucony Cortana 3.
10.5mi total - 1.75mi warmup, 4x:20 strides, 6mi @ goal marathon pace 6:21 (23 22 22 20 22 19), 1.75mi cooldown, 4x:20 strides
Pretty consistent running this morning. Felt more relaxed and manageable for each 2 mile loop, and I took a gulp of Gatorade after each loop as well. About 1/4mi into the last mile of the tempo, I was running 6:27/mi pace which caused me to press a little. The next thing I knew, I was working too hard and averaging 6:15/mi through 1k, meaning I picked up the pace to low 6:00s - probably why I was starting to feel it. Next time, I'll just continue to keep the same effort and not worry if my splits are off a little. I have to keep remembering that on race day, it is more important to keep the relaxed "feeling" of marathon pace than the actual split. Still very pleased for another solo early morning effort.
10:40am, 45 degrees, 65%, 5-10mph. 2x Neighborhood Loop. Nike Pegasus 29 USATF.
4mi recovery - (8:13)
Nice, slow jaunt around the neighborhood. First run with no hat or gloves in awhile. It's amazing how much energy the sun really gives you. :)
Saturday, December 21st:
7:00am, 47 degrees, 85%, 0-5mph. Moorestown. New Balance 1260v2.
11.5mi easy - (7:31): including 4x :20 strides (5:20-:40/mi) afterward
Casual group run with Tom, Colleen, and Jamie. Just stayed tucked behind the two big guys most of the run and let the time disappear. Felt surprisingly spry on the strides after that amount of time on my feet.
Sunday, December 22nd:
7:00am, 65-70 degrees, 85-75%, 15-25mph. 3x Tavistock Loop. Adidas Adizero Boston 3.
15mi total - 3mi warmup, 10mi cutdown (7:35 24 14 04 6:53 46 32 24 17 04), 2mi cooldown
Today’s cutdown effort was another tough one because of the
unseasonably warm and windy conditions.
I also did it on a rolling 5mi loop course. For the record, Mile 9 (net uphill and into
the headwind) and Mile 10 (net downhill and with the tailwind) were roughly the
same effort – which was pretty much me emptying the tank. :)
Weekly Total: 72 miles
I wasn’t afraid to push the envelope a little
this week since next week will be my down week (45-50 miles total with no formal
workouts). But man, I am wiped right now!
Monday, December 9, 2013
Fall 2013 Base Training, Week 12
Monday, December 9th:
7:55pm, 36 degrees, 90%, calm. 2.5x Neighborhood Loop. New Balance 1260v2.
5mi recovery - (8:07)
Somehow I had so much energy tonight. It felt like I was walking the whole way. Had to hold back big time. Could've run much faster and much longer if I wanted to, but I am sticking to the plan and giving myself the needed recovery from last week. Plus I might to double back very early tomorrow morning with yet another impending snowfall.
Tuesday, December 10th:
4:55am, 33 degrees, 89%, calm. Maple Ave out-and-back. New Balance 1260v2.
7.5mi easy - (8:04): w/4x :20 fast strides after (5:00-:20)
The calm before the storm. I wasn't quite as energetic as last night during the run, but that is probably mostly due to the quick turnaround and the early morning hours. The fast strides after felt very smooth.
Wednesday, December 11th:
4:40am, 21 degrees, 80%, calm. Garden State Park. Adidas Adizero Boston 3.
10mi total - 2.5mi warmup, 4x strides, 4mi tempo 5:56 (54 53 59 57), 2.5mi cooldown, 4x strides
Chilly morning, but didn't feel too bad since the wind was calm. Easy jog over to the Garden State Park drive, which was clear of ice and had great footing. Just ran back-and-forth loops in there for the workout and jogged home. Once again, started the first 1/3 of the first mile too fast (5:39/mi pace) before settling into the pace of the tempo. Found myself working hard that last mile, but mentally I broke it down into phases to keep it manageable. Strides after the cooldown felt smooth. Great tempo run in these conditions today. Very pleased.
Thursday, December 12th:
6:30pm, 24 degrees, 41%, 5-10mph. Maple Ave out-and-back. New Balance 1260v2.
7.5mi recovery - (8:01)
Much like Monday night, I had a surprising amount of energy and had to hold myself in check. Crazy as it sounds, I am already pretty used to this cold. Which is a good thing, because it looks like it's going to hang around for awhile.
Friday, December 13th:
5:00am, 23 degrees, 50%, 5-10mph. Hialeah-Kilmer-Hialeah. Adidas Supernova Glide 5.
8mi easy - (7:53)
Eased into another chilly run. Started at 8:20/mi, worked my way down to 7:40/mi. Very comfortable the whole way, handling the couple rolling hills with ease.
2:15pm, 37 degrees, 41%, 10-15mph. 2x Neighborhood. Nike Pegasus 29 USATF.
4mi easy - (7:44): w/4x :20 fast strides after (~5:00/mi)
Had a huge lunch at the company holiday party. Ran with a bloated stomach. Didn't feel great, but kept a good rhythm. I was surprised to see how fast the strides were given how lousy I felt. The temperature felt much colder than it was because of the wind. By no means a great run, but a productive one.
Saturday, December 14th:
4:50am, 29 degrees, 72%, 5-10mph. Garden State Park. Saucony Cortana 3.
10mi total - 3mi warmup including 4x :20 strides, 8k tempo (6:22/mi avg) as 4x (1k@6:07/mi, 1k@6:36/mi), 2mi cooldown
Splits: (6:06/6:37, 08/38, 09/36, 06/34)
Today's workout was a nice change of pace workout. Felt fairly comfortable the first two times through (4k), but had to work hard into a decent headwind during that 5th kilometer. Finished strong though for the last 2k and felt like I had a few more rounds in me if I wanted to extend the workout. Pleased that I was able to average ~goal marathon pace for the entire tempo.
11:45 am, 33 degrees, 78%, 10mph. 2x Neighborhood. Nike Pegasus 29 USATF.
4mi recovery - (8:05)
Felt surprisingly smooth. Held back the entire way - could have run much faster if I wanted to.
Sunday, December 15th:
8:00am, 34 degrees, 85%, 0-5mph. Haddonfield. New Balance 1260v2.
14mi fast-finish recovery/depletion run - (8:20): 7mi @ 8:56/mi pace, 7mi @ 7:43/mi pace
7:55pm, 36 degrees, 90%, calm. 2.5x Neighborhood Loop. New Balance 1260v2.
5mi recovery - (8:07)
Somehow I had so much energy tonight. It felt like I was walking the whole way. Had to hold back big time. Could've run much faster and much longer if I wanted to, but I am sticking to the plan and giving myself the needed recovery from last week. Plus I might to double back very early tomorrow morning with yet another impending snowfall.
Tuesday, December 10th:
4:55am, 33 degrees, 89%, calm. Maple Ave out-and-back. New Balance 1260v2.
7.5mi easy - (8:04): w/4x :20 fast strides after (5:00-:20)
The calm before the storm. I wasn't quite as energetic as last night during the run, but that is probably mostly due to the quick turnaround and the early morning hours. The fast strides after felt very smooth.
Wednesday, December 11th:
4:40am, 21 degrees, 80%, calm. Garden State Park. Adidas Adizero Boston 3.
10mi total - 2.5mi warmup, 4x strides, 4mi tempo 5:56 (54 53 59 57), 2.5mi cooldown, 4x strides
Chilly morning, but didn't feel too bad since the wind was calm. Easy jog over to the Garden State Park drive, which was clear of ice and had great footing. Just ran back-and-forth loops in there for the workout and jogged home. Once again, started the first 1/3 of the first mile too fast (5:39/mi pace) before settling into the pace of the tempo. Found myself working hard that last mile, but mentally I broke it down into phases to keep it manageable. Strides after the cooldown felt smooth. Great tempo run in these conditions today. Very pleased.
Thursday, December 12th:
6:30pm, 24 degrees, 41%, 5-10mph. Maple Ave out-and-back. New Balance 1260v2.
7.5mi recovery - (8:01)
Much like Monday night, I had a surprising amount of energy and had to hold myself in check. Crazy as it sounds, I am already pretty used to this cold. Which is a good thing, because it looks like it's going to hang around for awhile.
Friday, December 13th:
5:00am, 23 degrees, 50%, 5-10mph. Hialeah-Kilmer-Hialeah. Adidas Supernova Glide 5.
8mi easy - (7:53)
Eased into another chilly run. Started at 8:20/mi, worked my way down to 7:40/mi. Very comfortable the whole way, handling the couple rolling hills with ease.
2:15pm, 37 degrees, 41%, 10-15mph. 2x Neighborhood. Nike Pegasus 29 USATF.
4mi easy - (7:44): w/4x :20 fast strides after (~5:00/mi)
Had a huge lunch at the company holiday party. Ran with a bloated stomach. Didn't feel great, but kept a good rhythm. I was surprised to see how fast the strides were given how lousy I felt. The temperature felt much colder than it was because of the wind. By no means a great run, but a productive one.
Saturday, December 14th:
4:50am, 29 degrees, 72%, 5-10mph. Garden State Park. Saucony Cortana 3.
10mi total - 3mi warmup including 4x :20 strides, 8k tempo (6:22/mi avg) as 4x (1k@6:07/mi, 1k@6:36/mi), 2mi cooldown
Splits: (6:06/6:37, 08/38, 09/36, 06/34)
Today's workout was a nice change of pace workout. Felt fairly comfortable the first two times through (4k), but had to work hard into a decent headwind during that 5th kilometer. Finished strong though for the last 2k and felt like I had a few more rounds in me if I wanted to extend the workout. Pleased that I was able to average ~goal marathon pace for the entire tempo.
11:45 am, 33 degrees, 78%, 10mph. 2x Neighborhood. Nike Pegasus 29 USATF.
4mi recovery - (8:05)
Felt surprisingly smooth. Held back the entire way - could have run much faster if I wanted to.
Sunday, December 15th:
8:00am, 34 degrees, 85%, 0-5mph. Haddonfield. New Balance 1260v2.
14mi fast-finish recovery/depletion run - (8:20): 7mi @ 8:56/mi pace, 7mi @ 7:43/mi pace
Today’s creation just happened on the fly. I was originally scheduled for an 8mi/6mi
easy double, but my wife now has a commitment for the afternoon/evening. So I then planned on a 10mi easy single. I met Denning who is just coming back from
injury so we kept the opening pace easy and slow. But after a mile, he felt a
nagging ache so we turned back around to our starting point. That 2 miles was roughly 8:45/mi pace. About 1/2 mile later, I ran into two runners
I didn’t recognize running the same route I was now running.
I introduced myself, we chatted, kept a slow 9:00/mi pace for 5 miles
more before they finished.
Well, at that
point, I didn’t feel too beat up so I figured I would run 5 miles more and make
it a 12 mile single. Then the sun came
out, I started feeling good running 7:40s by myself, and figured I would get in
the 14 miles I originally planned for the day, even though I hadn’t eaten or
drank anything since the start of the run.
Which is how I ended up running a “fast-finish recovery pace/2 hour
depletion run.” I am sure I recruited
all kinds of crazy muscle fibers and burned through every type of fuel source
imaginable today. But it felt good.
Weekly Total: 70 miles
Two weeks in the books and still in one piece, despite the snow and ice Mother Nature keeps throwing at us. One more high volume week before I get a down week (and just in time for the holidays!).
Monday, December 2, 2013
Fall 2013 Base Training, Week 11
Monday, December 2nd:
8:00pm, 39 degrees, 75%, calm. Maple Shade Loop (M). Adidas Adizero Boston 3.
6mi easy - (8:03): including 4x :20 fast strides after (~5:15/mi)
Easy late night run. Strides after felt fast but very controlled.
Tuesday, December 3rd:
7:50pm, 39 degrees, 75%, calm. Cherry Hill West Track. Saucony Cortana 3.
10mi total: 2mi warmup, 12x400m w/400m recovery jogs, 2mi cooldown
Goal Splits: :81
Actual Splits: 80 81 83 80 82 79 81 81 79 80 79 79
Recoveries: 2:01 00 00 02 01 06 02 00 05 03 04 05
First 5k interval workout in a LONG time. As expected, the splits were a little erratic. Couldn't really settle in on the :81/lap pace, so after the first 4 intervals I just settled into the feel of running fast with good form. Started feeling the last 100m or so of the final 4 reps, but I wasn't laboring too badly since the recoveries were generous. Hopefully when I do my 800s in a couple weeks I will be more consistent hitting :81/lap. Happy with the effort, though I am sure I will be feeling it tomorrow.
Wednesday, December 4th:
8:30pm, 49 degrees, 75%, calm. Maple Shade out-and-back. Nike Pegasus 29 USATF.
7.5mi recovery - (8:13)
I gotta be honest, I was practically falling asleep heading out the door tonight wondering what I was thinking going out for a run. Turned out to be the best run I have had in awhile. Not sure if it was the lack of expectation/pressure of getting to run so slow, or if it was just my body's way of thanking me for taking it easy after yesterday. But it felt great once I got moving.
Thursday, December 5th:
8:00pm, 59 degrees, 90%, 5-10mph. Hialeah-Kilmer-Neighborhood. Adidas Supernova Glide 5.
7.5mi easy - (7:54): including 4x :20 fast strides after (~5:00-:30/mi)
Another night where I eased into the pace, slowly progressing from ~8:10/mi down to ~7:40/mi. The strides also progressively got faster and smoother. Did some light weights and core work after.
Friday, December 6th:
5:35am, 60 degrees, 90%, 5-15mph. Moorestown and back. Adidas Adizero Boston 3.
10mi total - 3mi warmup including 4x:20 strides (~5:40/mi pace), 5mi @ goal marathon pace 6:23 (21 22 24 22 26), 2mi cooldown
Like last night, another unseasonably warm run. I got a little excited the first mile of the tempo and ran the first 1/2mi at 6:00/mi pace before backing off and finally settling into a steady rhythm around 2.5mi. Had a tailwind the first 2mi and a headwind the last 3mi of the tempo. The last mile also included all of Heller's Hill. Instead of attacking the hill I backed off and kept an even effort, splitting the last mile in 6:30 pace/6:22 pace for the two halves. Despite yo-yoing the paces at times, I felt very controlled and within myself. A great first MP effort.
3:55pm, 44 degrees, 90%, 5-10mph. 2x Neighborhood Loop. New Balance 1260v2.
4mi recovery - (8:15)
What a difference several hours makes. The temperatures really took a dive from this morning. My hamstrings got a little tight from the dead lifts I did last night along with the tempo running I did this morning. Thankfully I had nice brand-new cushioned shoes that I scored on Black Friday to break in this afternoon.
Saturday, December 7th:
8:00am, 37 degrees, 70%, 10mph. JP's house. New Balance 1260v2.
8mi recovery - (8:07)
Beautiful morning for a run. Met JP at his house and then we picked up Colleen just outside of MRC after 2.5mi. The group dynamic/conversation made the run just fly by today. We started very easy (8:52 first mile) and then threw in a couple 7:50s in there. Was very comfortable the whole way.
2:30pm, 38 degrees, 62%, 15mph. 2x Neighborhood Loop. Nike Pegasus 29 USATF.
4mi easy - (7:45)
Wind was steady this afternoon, but I practiced great mental imagery (imagined myself as a wedge cutting into the wind) and kept my stride very relaxed. Felt very smooth and strong.
Sunday, December 8th:
8:00am, 28-30 degrees, 60%, 0-10mph. Haddonfield. Saucony Cortana 3.
15mi total - 1mi warmup, 12mi moderate (7:02/mi average), 2mi cooldown
Very nice moderate long run with Ashley. We did the regular Tavistock Loop (Upland, Greenmount, Triple) the first time, and did a longer reverse loop (Ellis, Triple, Soccer Fields, Greenmount, Winding Way, Washington) the second time. Added the Croft Farm circuit at the beginning and the end for the warmup and cooldown. Felt very in control the entire run, and really powered up Washington Ave on the reverse loop. Had lots more running in me. Great way to cap the week.
Weekly Total: 72 miles
Can't complain about this week at all. Classic marathon training week for me with 3 quality sessions. The true test is to see how I will feel tomorrow and all of next week with the amount of running already in my legs. Very, very pleased with Week 1.
8:00pm, 39 degrees, 75%, calm. Maple Shade Loop (M). Adidas Adizero Boston 3.
6mi easy - (8:03): including 4x :20 fast strides after (~5:15/mi)
Easy late night run. Strides after felt fast but very controlled.
Tuesday, December 3rd:
7:50pm, 39 degrees, 75%, calm. Cherry Hill West Track. Saucony Cortana 3.
10mi total: 2mi warmup, 12x400m w/400m recovery jogs, 2mi cooldown
Goal Splits: :81
Actual Splits: 80 81 83 80 82 79 81 81 79 80 79 79
Recoveries: 2:01 00 00 02 01 06 02 00 05 03 04 05
First 5k interval workout in a LONG time. As expected, the splits were a little erratic. Couldn't really settle in on the :81/lap pace, so after the first 4 intervals I just settled into the feel of running fast with good form. Started feeling the last 100m or so of the final 4 reps, but I wasn't laboring too badly since the recoveries were generous. Hopefully when I do my 800s in a couple weeks I will be more consistent hitting :81/lap. Happy with the effort, though I am sure I will be feeling it tomorrow.
Wednesday, December 4th:
8:30pm, 49 degrees, 75%, calm. Maple Shade out-and-back. Nike Pegasus 29 USATF.
7.5mi recovery - (8:13)
I gotta be honest, I was practically falling asleep heading out the door tonight wondering what I was thinking going out for a run. Turned out to be the best run I have had in awhile. Not sure if it was the lack of expectation/pressure of getting to run so slow, or if it was just my body's way of thanking me for taking it easy after yesterday. But it felt great once I got moving.
Thursday, December 5th:
8:00pm, 59 degrees, 90%, 5-10mph. Hialeah-Kilmer-Neighborhood. Adidas Supernova Glide 5.
7.5mi easy - (7:54): including 4x :20 fast strides after (~5:00-:30/mi)
Another night where I eased into the pace, slowly progressing from ~8:10/mi down to ~7:40/mi. The strides also progressively got faster and smoother. Did some light weights and core work after.
Friday, December 6th:
5:35am, 60 degrees, 90%, 5-15mph. Moorestown and back. Adidas Adizero Boston 3.
10mi total - 3mi warmup including 4x:20 strides (~5:40/mi pace), 5mi @ goal marathon pace 6:23 (21 22 24 22 26), 2mi cooldown
Like last night, another unseasonably warm run. I got a little excited the first mile of the tempo and ran the first 1/2mi at 6:00/mi pace before backing off and finally settling into a steady rhythm around 2.5mi. Had a tailwind the first 2mi and a headwind the last 3mi of the tempo. The last mile also included all of Heller's Hill. Instead of attacking the hill I backed off and kept an even effort, splitting the last mile in 6:30 pace/6:22 pace for the two halves. Despite yo-yoing the paces at times, I felt very controlled and within myself. A great first MP effort.
3:55pm, 44 degrees, 90%, 5-10mph. 2x Neighborhood Loop. New Balance 1260v2.
4mi recovery - (8:15)
What a difference several hours makes. The temperatures really took a dive from this morning. My hamstrings got a little tight from the dead lifts I did last night along with the tempo running I did this morning. Thankfully I had nice brand-new cushioned shoes that I scored on Black Friday to break in this afternoon.
Saturday, December 7th:
8:00am, 37 degrees, 70%, 10mph. JP's house. New Balance 1260v2.
8mi recovery - (8:07)
Beautiful morning for a run. Met JP at his house and then we picked up Colleen just outside of MRC after 2.5mi. The group dynamic/conversation made the run just fly by today. We started very easy (8:52 first mile) and then threw in a couple 7:50s in there. Was very comfortable the whole way.
2:30pm, 38 degrees, 62%, 15mph. 2x Neighborhood Loop. Nike Pegasus 29 USATF.
4mi easy - (7:45)
Wind was steady this afternoon, but I practiced great mental imagery (imagined myself as a wedge cutting into the wind) and kept my stride very relaxed. Felt very smooth and strong.
Sunday, December 8th:
8:00am, 28-30 degrees, 60%, 0-10mph. Haddonfield. Saucony Cortana 3.
15mi total - 1mi warmup, 12mi moderate (7:02/mi average), 2mi cooldown
Very nice moderate long run with Ashley. We did the regular Tavistock Loop (Upland, Greenmount, Triple) the first time, and did a longer reverse loop (Ellis, Triple, Soccer Fields, Greenmount, Winding Way, Washington) the second time. Added the Croft Farm circuit at the beginning and the end for the warmup and cooldown. Felt very in control the entire run, and really powered up Washington Ave on the reverse loop. Had lots more running in me. Great way to cap the week.
Weekly Total: 72 miles
Can't complain about this week at all. Classic marathon training week for me with 3 quality sessions. The true test is to see how I will feel tomorrow and all of next week with the amount of running already in my legs. Very, very pleased with Week 1.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)