Baltimore Marathon Training Week 9

Monday, August 8th:

6:20 am, 77 degrees, 85%, 0-10 mph.  Cinnaminson-Moorestown.  Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).

10m easy - 7:34 average.

My office is closed this week, so I have the opportunity to run with the group from Monday-Thursday before we head down to the shore for the weekend.  It was great to have the company for today's 10 miler, but the pace that Rich/Tom set was a bit faster than what I am used to on my easy days and my legs surely felt it the last 3 miles.  Very high humidity this morning, which is supposed to improve for the rest of the week.  Rich and I agreed that we'll run an easier pace tomorrow, so that we can be fully recovered for Wednesday's workout.  Today was my 11th day of running in a row, and I am not scheduled for a break until next Tuesday.  Starting to feel the effects, but also slowly starting to feel the strength that comes with it.

Tuesday, August 9th:

5:45 am, 72 degrees, 80%, calm.  Moorestown.  Saucony C2.

8m easy - 7:50 average.

Legs still felt heavy.  I started the run with the group but let them go from the beginning.  Stuck to my own comfortable pace and worked my way through the run.  Finished strong the last two miles.  Glad I didn't try to keep up with the group - hopefully I gave myself the best chance to be fresh for tomorrow's workout.

Wednesday, August 10th:

5:45 am, 72 degrees, 80%, calm.  Moorestown.  Nike Run Avant.

2.25m warm up, 4x2000m (roads), 2.75m cool down
Splits: (7:23 18 16 15), Paces: (5:54 49 48 47)

Felt very recovered for today's session, and it went extremely well.  Took the warm up very nice and easy, and used the first rep to break into the pace of the workout.  Had John, Rich, and Tom to run with, so it was a luxury to let them do the work for reps 2 and 3.  Had tons left on the last rep, but held it in reserve for another day.  Finished feeling very strong.  The cool down was easy peasy.  Perfect workout.

Thursday, August 11th:

5:45 am, 70 degrees, 65%, 0-5mph.  Moorestown.  Adidas Marathon 10.

10m easy - 7:41 average.

Can't believe how strong I felt after yesterday's workout.  The cooler temps made a huge difference - felt like I was running the effort of 8:00/mi the whole way, but I averaged 7:48 the first 5m and 7:35 the second 5m.  Easy, casual effort - conversational pace with Rich.  And this on Day 14 of 18 in a row!  Almost halfway through the marathon cycle, and I can really feel myself turning the corner.


8:00 pm, 80 degrees, 40%, 0-10mph.  Wildwood.  New Balance 890.

7m rejuvenation - 9:56 average.

Call me crazy for doubling today, but it was as much to pace my stepfather, Jimmy, for his 7m easy pace run as it was to avoid running 7m by myself tomorrow morning.  My legs were incredibly heavy for most of the run, but the scene was terrific - we ran along the coast of the beach at night time, gulls cawing, waves crashing into the surf, running along the stone wall that hugs the beach, moon shining bright down on us.  The pace really was rejuvenating.  We finished with a solid 8:58 last mile, so I know the turnover was still there, even after 17 total miles today.  Doing some quick math, the running total for my last 7 days is 79 miles - destroying my old record of 72!  I am glad I got the run in this evening - I actually will take a day off this crazy week after all.  I really need it!

Friday, August 12th:

Day of rest.  My body feels broken, but mending.  Can't wait for the hardest run of the cycle tomorrow!

Saturday, August 13th:

5:45 am, 65-70 degrees, 80-85%, calm.  Wildwood.  Adidas Marathon 10.

18m at 90%-95% goal marathon pace (6:45-7:05).
Actual splits: (7:05 6:55 7:00 6:59 48 45 41 48 51 49 51 45 50 50 46 49 44 47)
Total average: 6:50

Besides the half-marathon race in two weeks, this should be by far the most difficult run of the marathon training cycle.  This workout is very hard for several reasons: it comes at the end of the longest training week, it was a solo effort, the zone to stay in is not fast but certainly faster than easy pace, the duration of the run is daunting, the effort nears marathon effort - certainly for the last 4 miles.  I'll cut the description short by saying I am very glad with the end result, and I know I will be a much better marathoner having done today's workout, but I went somewhere those last 4 miles I have never been to before.  I know I will be even more mentally and physically stronger the next time I visit that place again.

Sunday, August 14th:

2:50 am, 80 degrees, 70%, 10-20mph.  Wildwood.  New Balance 890.

6m rejuvenation pace - 8:56 average.

A Run in Three Acts:

1) Wake up early to beat the impending rain storm that is supposed to start at 4:00 am and pummel the area for the 24 hours.  I can barely get myself out of bed, physically.  I convince myself that no matter how long it takes me today, I am going to get in 6 miles and end the week at 70 miles, as planned.  I have done too much work this week to fall short now.

2) I stumble out into the darkness and shuffle for the first mile.  My watch beeps: 10:13 for the first mile.  Do not laugh.  At this point, I feel like one of those runners I saw competing in the 20-in-24 race a couple weeks ago, willing their broken bodies ahead when all common sense said they shouldn't be.  I head along the rock wall and start feeling semi-human again.  Mile two, 9:06.  Getting there.  I turn around and head toward the boardwalk, passing one couple making out, an elderly couple holding hands and watching the ocean, and several small groups of obviously drunk young women wandering around in the darkness.  One of them sees me and yells, "Go faster, runner dude, go faster!"  At least Forrest Gump's name is not invoked.

3) I now notice the circling light of a nearby lighthouse scanning just over my head every 10 seconds or so.  I pretend I am a fugitive busting out of prison, and my pace gets quicker every mile.  8:45.  8:26.  I make it to the boardwalk and meet other late-nighters searching for a destination, stumbling over feet.  I am almost at mile 5 when I approach a drunk reveler who is amazed I am out running at this hour.  He says, "You gotta give me a high five, dude, it's like 3:30 in the morning!"  I reach out as we pass and my middle 3 fingers just manage to graze his middle 3 fingers.  He turns to his buddy, "That dude gave me a high five - did you see that!"  This strange encounter energizes me even more.  I drop an 8:15 last mile.  Sweet painful bliss.  I get in the house, change out of my clothes, and slip back into bed for a few more hours.  I wake up wondering if I dreamt the whole thing, but my Garmin dutifully recorded the early hour adventure.  Curtain closes.

Weekly Total: 70 miles (!) 

What a long, strange trip this week has been.  Four double-digit runs, two mind-blowing workouts, two snail pace runs, 41 miles in a 72 hour stretch, and one ravaged, broken body.  I survived the hardest week and two week stretch of the cycle.  Anything else at this point will seem trivial. 

2 weeks to the half marathon, 9 weeks to the marathon.

Baltimore Marathon Training Week 8

Monday, August 1st:

5:15 am, 73 degrees, 75%, 0-5mph.  Hialeah-Kilmer Loop-Hialeah.  Adidas Marathon 10.

8m easy - 8:01 average.

Woke up with heavy legs this morning.  Heel was slightly bothersome the first 2 miles but warmed up as the run progressed.  I didn't try to force the pace at all this morning, just let it come.  Finished the last 3 miles strong.

Tuesday, August 2nd:

5:15 am, 70 degrees, 80%, 0-5mph.  Merchantville Loop (S).  Nike Run Avant.

4m easy - 8:03 average.

The heavy rain last night made the air feel cooler, even if the temperature wasn't much cooler.  Had a real nice rhythm from the start today - felt much better than yesterday.  Heel wasn't a big deal today.  Not sure if it's going to completely go away without a long, extended rest, but running doesn't seem to make it any worse right now.

Wednesday, August 3rd:

4:45 am, 73 degrees, 70%, calm.  Cherry Hill West Track - roads.  New Balance 890.

2m warm up, 6mT (6:06 06 02 08 06 06), 3:00 walk, 2m cool down.

Was really psyched for this workout, as it is a good test of fitness for the half-marathon as it is run at roughly half-marathon pace.  Wasn't quite sure what to expect after the down time last week and the heel situation.  I was up early, drank some coffee, put some muscle rub cream on the heel/ankle, and was revved to go.  I planned on doing the entire tempo on the track, but a stray dog (I am pretty sure it was a pitbull!) came onto the infield and scared me enough that after the first mile I finished the workout on the roads.  I had a nice rhythm going on the track which is harder to find on the roads since you don't have markers the whole way - but I guess that turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I will be racing the half-marathon on the roads anyway and I still finished the workout right on my goal pace: 6:06/mi average.

Also implemented a new mantra today: "The road is my friend."  Helps me to relax and not "fight" the road but be one with the road and let it guide me along.  Actually stole the idea from an Alexander Popov quote about the water and swimming, but it really helped.  Felt really strong on the cool down, and was stoked about the performance.  Also glad to know it's all easy runs the rest of the week.

Thursday, August 4th:

4:45 am, 70 degrees, 95%, 5-10mph.  Light rain.  Maple Shade and back.  Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).

6m easy (BOF) - 7:53 average. 

The first mile was slow going as my heel didn't want to wake up today.  From there I got into a real nice rhythm and felt surprisingly strong after yesterday's very hard workout.  The quicker the turnover, the lighter the steps, the smoother the form - the easier the run and the quicker the time.

3:15 pm, 81 degrees, 55%, 5-15mph.  Merchantville Loop (S).  Saucony C2.

4m easy - 7:41 average. 

Same story as this morning.  Legs started out a little heavy, but then I got into a real nice rhythm with great turnover/form.  Solid day.

Friday, August 5th:

5:45 am, 66 degrees, 90%, calm.  Moorestown.  New Balance 890.

8m easy - 7:32 average. 

First time in 2 weeks I got to run with the group.  Felt very relaxed, casual.  Pace very comfortable, as was the temperature.  Big difference from last week.

Saturday, August 6th:

6:00 am, 70-74 degrees, 85%, 0-15 mph.  Moorestown.  Adidas Marathon 10.

19 miles total.
The breakdown: 14 miles at 7:28/mi average, followed by 6:46, 6:39, 6:26, 5:59, followed by 7:37 cool down. 

Today's run was like a three act play.  Rich and I met at the Moorestown Running Company and did an easy 3 miles together in the beginning, fueled up, and then joined the rest of the group (Colleen, John, Ron) for another 7.5 mile loop that brought us back to the store.  These first two acts were casual, jovial - a gradual buildup or prelude, so to speak, to the third act.  For the third act, we set off on a different 7.5 mile loop, with the last 4 miles of that loop at a progression, culminating in the finale of a tempo pace mile.  I purposely used as little energy as possible for the first 14 miles of the run, tucked behind John for the first two miles of the progression to stay relaxed and easy, and then wound up the pace of the penultimate mile so that the last tempo mile actually (unbelievably!) felt the most comfortable.  The goal of this workout was to achieve several purposes: 1) time on feet (good for marathon endurance), 2) marathon pace running after 15 miles (practice of what that pace feels like for the marathon), 3) approximate half-marathon pace running after 17 miles to practice finishing strong and relaxed at a fast pace for the half-marathon in 3 weeks.  Was very satisfied with the outcome - it's helpful to know that what I thought was the beginning of suffering at 16 miles turned into a revelation for mile 18 (i.e., there's more in the tank than you think there is).  Last cool down mile with Ron felt like we were walking.

Special note: The Blackberry Jet flavored Gu gel I took at mile 13 had 2x caffeine as regular Gu gels.  For what it's worth, I did feel very strong afterward.  :)

Sunday, August 7th:

5:20 am, 75 degrees, 95%, 0-10 mph.  Kilmer Loop.  Saucony C2.

6m rejuvenation pace - 8:16 average. 

Heel was tight when I woke up, but loosened up a mile into the run.  I followed my instincts and took it decidedly easy today, despite feeling capable of running faster and with the high humidity in mind.  Felt really fresh about 10 minutes after the run.  Good way to cap off the week.


Weekly Total: 65 miles.

Nice rebound this week.  Still having occasional heel issues (after doing lots of research, I pretty sure it's a case of posterior calcaneal bursitis - sounds lovely!), which thankfully isn't hindering my running.  I am just hoping I can maintain form until the season is over, at which time I can take off as much time as necessary.  My workouts are just going so well that I feel it would be a shame to cut back now and miss an opportunity to cash in on my high fitness as long as training doesn't worsen the injury.  I may, however, cut back on the amount and/or duration of some of my planned training sessions to optimize my chances of staying healthy. 

Lost in all this is the fact I posted my highest mileage week of the season, with the big Seven - Oh coming up this week.  I have faith that it will all work out in the end.  3 weeks to the half marathon, 10 weeks to the marathon.

Baltimore Marathon Training Week 7

Monday, July 25th:

Unplanned day off.  Still some residual soreness/stiffness behind my left heel.  Old Casey would have run through the discomfort and logged the easy 8 miles on the schedule; New Casey has learned that missed mileage early in the marathon cycle is WAY better than missed mileage late in the marathon cycle.  See how I feel tomorrow.

Tuesday, July 26th:

Day off.  Missed running today not so much because of the heel (which, thankfully seems to be improving by the day) but moreso because of the food poisoning/vomitting that plagued me this morning.  Felt better by evening, but definitely not fun to have to get sick while at work and patients can clearly hear the loud noises emanating from the office restroom.  Nice.

Wednesday, July 27th:

4:40 am, 72 degrees, 75%, 0-5mph.  Cherry Hill West Track.  Nike Run Avant.

2 mile warm up, 4x1200m w/400m recovery jogs, 2 mile cool down.
Goal: (4:18/rep, or 5:45/mile pace)
Actual Splits: (4:18 17 16 14)

Heel felt fine, but my legs were SO heavy/tight - both from my recent inactivity and from fluid loss while vomiting yesterday.  The warm up and cool down were very slow, and I really had to work to get my legs to turn over fast enough during the workout; but as you can see from the splits, I still hit all the marks.  Probably had to work harder than I normally would for this type of workout, but I was glad to still get a quality session in this week despite the hiccups.  I would hope that the next time I have track work I will be more fully recovered and things will go smoother.  And I am not even fretting my mileage this week - whatever it is, it is.  I'll push back the heavier mileage another week or two once I know for sure I am in the clear with my health.

8:15 pm, 80 degrees, 50%, 5-10 mph.  Neighborhood.  Saucony C2.

3m easy pace - 7:35 average.  Much easier effort than this morning.  Practiced POSE running, or the act of falling forward.  Form seemed much more efficient and the run required way less energy.  Easier on the feet also.  Heel still not 100% but definitely manageable.

Thursday, July 28th:

4:45 am, 72 degrees, 75%, calm.  Neighborhood.  Adidas Marathon 10.

1m easy - 8:28 average.  Looks like it's time for an extended layoff.  Heel situation just won't go away.  What's crazy is it's not painful - probably 3 out of 10 on a pain scale while running, 1 out of 10 on a pain scale while walking - but running at this point seems to exacerbate it and I just don't want to blow it up into something bigger than it already is.  I would prefer to take the extra time off now with the hope of all symptoms disappearing before I resume running.  If it persists beyond a week, I may break down and see a specialist.  Kind of a bummer since I had been progressing nicely week after week and taking easy days easy - gotta roll with the punches sometimes.

Friday, July 29th:

4:40 pm, 92 degrees, 50%, 5-15mph.  Pennypacker Park Trail Loop.  New Balance 890.

3m easy - 7:42 average.  So go ahead and laugh.  My layoff lasted about 36 hours.  I'll admit it...I am an addict.  I did TONS of form/balance/stretching drills last night and all day today.  It didn't help that Janine and the girls are down at the shore and I have nobody but myself with whom to pass the time.  I am NOT lying when I say that all those drills helped (tremendously).  I am NOT lying when I say that I felt great on my run today, because I really did (even though it was hot).  However, I would be lying if I said that I thought running was better for me than rest right now or that I feel 100% healed.  Because in the back of my mind, I know I am not 100% yet.  I am getting closer, but I am not there yet.

Sometimes you have to test the waters.  A large part of me thinks that the injury happened for one of two reasons (or both): a) I tried to do too much in the heat on my long run last Saturday - as I tired my form broke down completely the last couple miles and my foot strike was nowhere near what it normally is, and/or b) I carried a 20oz bottle of Gatorade in my left hand for the second half of that run, which forced an imbalance in my stride and impacted my left foot strike with greater force than it normally does.  At least those are the theories I am sticking with.

Doing stride and form drills the past 36 hours has also forced me to realize how long my stride had artificially become in just the past few weeks.  Breaking my stride back down to the basics enabled me to see how much more natural and efficient I feel with a much shorter stride, with a lower arm swing, and less powerful impact forces.  Hopefully all of this will help both my heel situation and my running.  I do promise not to overdo it.  But the logical part of me rationalizes that if my heel doesn't hurt while running, there's no reason to take additional time off.  Let's see if that logic holds as I progress slowly over the next week.

Saturday, July 30th:

4:45 am, 76 degrees, 80%, 5-15mph.  10x Westfield Gravel path + cooldown.  Adidas Marathon 10.

3m warmup, 4 (1.43mMP/1.43E), 1/2m cooldown.
Goal splits: (6:30/7:50)
Actual splits: (6:28/7:47, 6:28/7:39, 6:27/7:42, 6:08/7:46)

I am pretty sure I will look back at this day as the turning point of this marathon training cycle, for better or worse.  I was hesitant to run long this morning given my heel situation, so I figured I would play it doubly safe by running on the crushed gravel path loop (easy on the feet) which is just under 1.5m, so that at any point in the run I could call it quits if the heel acted up.  I paid extra attention to my form today, allowing neither my mind to lapse at any point nor my body (and therefore foot strike) to break down.  The humidity made the going a little tough in the beginning, but by the 3rd workout loop I really found my groove and realized the heel wouldn't be a problem.

I also learned my lesson from last week and stopped after every easy loop to get adequate Gatorade in my system before starting the marathon pace loops.  Between the Gatorade every 2.8m or so and the Gu gels every 5m, I felt fully fueled today.  On the last marathon pace loop, I was feeling strong and decided to pace myself not by the Garmin but rather to "run on feel" and to practice finishing strong for the half-marathon that is less than a month away now.  I was really stoked to see 6:08 pace that last loop, because a) that is approximately the pace I hope to average for the half, b) I finished that loop at exactly the 13m mark of the run, so it certainly indicates strength, and c) I had another gear to go to if I needed it.  Best of all, no heel pain at any point of the run!

I'll know by tomorrow if I am in the clear and if the heel is truly healing, or if I made a big mistake today and can't walk at all tomorrow.  I truly have faith in the former.  I also have renewed faith in my physical abilities, and I am learning more and more to not fear racing/pain/time.  Which isn't to say I have thrown all caution out the window.  I certainly plan on giving myself lots of easy days to allow myself to heal properly.  But certain time barriers used to strike fear into me, and God-willing I get to race day healthy, those barriers are going to have to battle one tough warrior.

Sunday, July 31:

5:40 am, 70 degrees, 80%, calm.  Hialeah-Cherry Hill Blvd Loop.  New Balance 890.

6m easy (BOF) - 8:01 average.

Spectacular morning weather full of early sunshine, lower temps, and no wind.  Took only 1/4m to get myself into a nice rhythm which I maintained for the entire run.  By mile 4, I felt like I was on autopilot and could just keep going and going for hours on end.  But it was a recovery day, I pulled back the reins, and called it a day when I was supposed to.  Heel is a minor nuisance when I wake up in the morning, but seems to have no effect whatsoever on my running (which, I think is actually helping the healing process at this point).  Still cautious moving ahead, but feel like I am beyond the worst of it.

Weekly Total: 36 miles

Ernest Hemingway wrote a classic short story called "The End of Something."  Today is the last day of the week, the last day of July - and it definitely feels like I am ending one chapter of my running and moving into something totally unknown.  I took a big step in the athlete maturation process this week by giving myself time off of running at the slightest bit of discomfort - something I never would have done in the past, especially when the schedule called for heavy mileage.  Turns out, I ended up running just over half of the planned 70 miles.  But I feel like taking this step back to look at the bigger picture from a more panoramic perspective has done wonders for my psyche and health in the long run.  I am rejuvenated.  I am empowered.  I feel absolutely ready to take on what will be the toughest month of this marathon cycle and what will be the most training I have ever done in one month - granted I stay healthy.  Sometimes minor setbacks are the best things that can ever happen to you in life.  I hope this week turns out to be one of those moments.

4 weeks to half marathon, 11 weeks to the marathon.

Baltimore Marathon Training Week 6

Monday, July 18th:

5:25 am, 73 degrees, 80%, 0-5mph.  Kilmer Loop.  Saucony C2.

Easy pace - 7:57 average.  Like yesterday, my legs were very heavy at the start and it took me awhile to get moving.  Picked up the cadence and shortened my stride after 1.5m and the run felt much easier from there.  Very thick, humid air to breathe today - day one of what is supposed to be a 10 day heat wave.  Can't wait.

Tuesday, July 19th:

Day off.

Wednesday, July 20th:

4:30 am, 72 degrees, 95%, calm.  Cherry Hill West Track.  Nike Lunarfly.

2m warmup, goal: 1x3200(12:00)/2x1600(5:45)/2x800(2:45) w/400 recovery jogs, 2m cooldown
Actual splits: (11:56, 5:45 5:43, 2:42 2:40)

Felt very well rested at the beginning of the run - which may be due to me getting a little more sleep lately.  The air was heavy to breathe when I first started the warmup, but once I got to the track, it seemed like cooler air was coming off the infield grass which made the effort seem easier.  I learned my lesson from last week and brought gatorade with me to drink after each rep.  The entire workout felt controlled like I was in the zone, and while I had to push the effort on the last 800m, I still felt like I had one or two gears left in the tank.  Probably the best a workout has gone so far this cycle.  Very, very pleased to get this level of workout in this week.

Thursday, July 21st:
Happy Anniversary Casey & Janine!

4:45 am, 75 degrees, 95%, calm.  Kilmer Loop.  Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).

6m easy (BOF) - 7:40 average.  Another morning of oppressive humidity this week, but my body is responding well.  Not sure if I am just finally acclimated to this crazy weather, or if I am feeling recovered on my down mileage week, but I keep feeling stronger and stronger with every run.

Friday, July 22nd:

5:45 am, 85 degrees, 80%, 0-5mph.  Moorestown.  New Balance 890.

7m easy pace - 7:47 average.  Dew point 78.  Clothes 5lbs heavier at end of run.  Still felt solid.  Wet, but solid.

Saturday, July 23rd:

4:30 am, 84 degrees, 80%, 0-5mph.  Manayunk Diner-Kelly Drive (out-and-back).  New Balance 890.

1.25m warmup, goal: 6x1mT (5:55/mi) w/1:00 recov, 1.75m cooldown
Actual splits: (5:50 51 53 54 54 - 1/2m 2:57)

I can't even begin to explain how difficult the conditions were for this workout.  I ate 4 freeze pops within 90 minutes of the run.  I drank 20 oz of gatorade before the run.  I drank 20 oz of gatorade during the run.  And by the 4th rep, I felt my insides starting to cook.  The 5th rep was a real struggle, and I literally had to sprint the last 1/2m to make that split.  There was no way I could have continued on - I was just totally overheated.  The cooldown was very slow, to give my body a chance to recover for the SECOND half of the run!

5:50 am, 84 degrees, 80%, 0-5mph.  Manayunk Diner-Tow Path (out-and-back).  Adidas Marathon 10.

7m easy - 7:38 average.  I had about 15-20 minutes to recover, rehydrate, change socks/shoes/hat/shirt before heading out for the "easy" portion of the long run.  Thankfully, I had Rich, Ron, and John join me for this segment, and it was a good thing or else I may not have made it.  I kept taking tons of fluids, but my body was really struggling to maintain any type of rhythm - the last two miles were a real struggle.  It obviously wasn't a great day for this type of workout, and looking back I should have scaled back on the paces to accommodate for the heat.  In total, 4 freeze pops, 3 gu gels, 80 oz of gatorade, 16 oz water, 16 oz chocolate milk.  Still wasn't fully hydrated.  Tough, tough day.

Sunday, July 24th:

5:00 am, 82 degrees, 70%, calm.  Neighborhood.  Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).

5m rejuvenation pace - 8:26 average.  After I recovered from my run yesterday, I noticed a lot of tenderness/pain in my left heel, as if I bruised it or needed to stretch it out.  Not achilles related, not plantar related - but right on the heel.  I thought it was maybe swelling from the long run yesterday, but it was more prominently noticeable when I woke up this morning.  I tried calf stretching, ankle rolls, rubbing it to loosen it up before today's run but nothing made it go away.  I had planned on running to Maple Shade this morning, but I only made it about a 1/2m from the house when I stopped running because of the pain - it felt like it was affecting my form.  I turned around, walked for about 30 seconds, and then started jogging very slowly.  Instantly, the pain was gone, as if I had "warmed up."  I sceptically ran in the neighborhood to see if it would flare up again and as the run progressed it seemed further and further removed.  After getting home, I did my normal stretching routine with no problems.  But after about an hour of sitting around, I am feeling the tightness starting to return.  Not sure what to make of it: soreness?  bruise?  broken bone?  heel spur?  I am definitely going to ice today and stay off my feet.  I know it's impossible to stay 100% healthy during a marathon cycle, but I really hope I don't have to fight with a possible injury right now.  Will monitor.

Weekly Total: 50 miles

Very tough weather week.  I actually felt good despite the weather until Saturday's long run workout.  Now I know not to make that kind of mistake again.  I am concerned about this heel issue - hopefully it resolves itself soon.  I am also concerned that next week is supposed to be 70 miles.  There doesn't seem to be much relief in the forecast, and now I may possibly have an injury to deal with on top of that.  I may have to adjust training for a while by either cutting down planned mileage, workouts, or both.  And if the heel situation doesn't improve, I may just have to bite the bullet and take some time off.  Still plenty of time to recover before the marathon - I am just hoping I don't have to amend too greatly my time goals.  But...it is what it is.  We'll see what the future brings.  5 weeks to the half marathon, 12 weeks to the marathon.

Baltimore Marathon Training Week 5

Monday, July 11th:

5:10 am, 75 degrees, 75% humidity, 5-10mph.  Kilmer Loop-Neighborhood.  Saucony C2.

Easy pace (BOF) - 8:30 average.  Somebody had a severe case of the Moondays!  Had absolutely no energy at all this morning.  Thought about bagging the run after 2 miles out from home, decided I would at least head out one more mile for a total of 6 - when I got back into the neighborhood I had a sudden burst of energy and let it carry me 2 more miles to finish the planned run of 8 miles.  No idea where that burst came from.  Today was absolutely a lesson in perseverance and at least I got to finish on a high note.

Tuesday, July 12th:

Day off.

Wednesday, July 13th:

4:45 am, 78 degrees, 65%, 0-5mph.  Valley Run-Kilmer Loop-Valley Run-Cherry Hill Blvd.  New Balance 890.

1.5m warmup, 7mAltT (.5/.5) goal (5:55/6:35), .5m cooldown
Actual splits: (5:54 6:34, 53 31, 52 33, 55 37, 55 37, 54 fell down 7:15, 5:52 6:27)

Probably not the best idea to do this workout on a morning this warm but you sometimes have to roll with the forecast.  Also probably not best to do this workout without an opportunity for gatorade somewhere mid-run, as my body definitely felt like it was starting to overheat around the 5th rep.  The recoveries became increasingly difficult, even while I could maintain the faster segments.  I caught my left toe on the sidewalk at the end of the 6th fast rep and fell down, which helps explain the slow recovery for that half-mile.  I didn't panic and try to catch up the pace.  I really had to push the last mile and I was near all-out to hit those last two splits.  Cooldown was very slow.  Overall pleased with the workout, in spite of the conditions and the tripping incident.

Thursday, July 14th:

4:45 am, 65 degrees, 65%, 10mph.  Maple Shade Loop (long version) - Neighborhood.  Adidas Marathon 10.

Easy pace (BOF) - 7:42 average.  What a difference 13 degrees makes!  After yesterday's warm run bath, today felt like running in a cool creek.  Breathing easy, no residual soreness in legs - just an absolutely spectacular morning.  On a side note, I am pretty sure I broke or badly bruised my left little piggy that had roast beef.  It turned an awful shade of purple yesterday, but there is no pain when I push off or walk around - only if I squeeze the toe.  I don't think there's really anything you can do for a broken toe anyway, so hopefully the purple color subsides over time.  If not, it sure makes me look tougher than I am!

3:00 pm, 81 degrees, 30%, 10-20mph.  Neighborhood.  Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red)

Easy pace - 7:45 average.  Afternoon was just as spectacular.   Low humidity.  Nice cool breeze.  Perfect.

Friday, July 15th:

5:30 am, 62 degrees, 90%, calm.  Moorestown.  Saucony C2.

Easy pace (BOF) - 7:50 average.  Another beautiful morning.  Conversational pace with Tom/Rich/Oleg.

2:00 pm, 83 degrees, 35%, 5-15mph.  Neighborhood.  Adidas Marathon 10.

Rejuvenation pace - 8:45 average.  Took a very relaxed, easy stroll around the neighborhood.  It truly felt like I was running 9:30 pace, so I was actually kind of surprised to see I was moving faster.  May move my marathon pace workout to Sunday to give myself some extra rest - we'll see how I feel in the morning.  Legs definitely felt more loose and pliable after the run, though.

Saturday, July 16th:

5:35 am, 68-72 degrees, 70%, calm.  Tavistock Loop-Croft Farm-Cooper River-Tavistock Loop.  Nike Run Avant.

2m warmup, 12m Marathon Pace Progression - 3m each (6:40/35/30/25), 2m cooldown

Actual Splits (6:40 40 38, 33 31 34, 27 27 28, 24 26 23).  MP average: 6:31.  This is not a workout for the weak of heart, especially when you run 12 miles the day before.  I stopped for about 5-7 secs for gatorade within MP miles 5/8/11, and I still hit all the splits except mile 11, which I was very pleased with.  I also incorporated hills within the workout to simulate what I will be facing in Baltimore.  Once I dropped below 6:30 pace, I noticeably had to work harder, so I have a better idea what I am in for come October.  I am counting on improved fitness gains, cooler temperatures, and tapering to make sub-6:30 pace comfortable.  I'll also have the opportunity to do this workout again later on in the training cycle to see how I have improved.  Of course, the half-marathon will also be a good measuring tool.  Very draining today, but I am very pleased with the result.

Sunday, July 17th:

3:00 am, 70 degrees, 80%, 0-5mph.  Kelly Drive-MLK Loop.  Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).

Easy pace - 8:11 average.  The reason I ran so early this morning was to try help pace some friends who were competing in a 24 hour race.  The Back on My Feet 20 in 24 "Lone Ranger" started at 10:00 am yesterday and will finish at 10:00 am this morning.  The goal of the race is to see who can complete the most laps (8.4 miles) of the Kelly Drive-MLK Loop in Philadelphia in a 24 hour period.  You can take as many breaks as you want, eat, shower, get a massage, sleep, etc - it's just who can cover the most distance in a 24 hour period.  Since the race started early yesterday, there was a very good chance that none of my three friends would be running at 3:00 am when I got there, depending on how their day went.  Sure enough, I ended up doing the loop alone as I was unable to find them - I figured they were either sleeping or had enough and headed home.  However, it's pretty amazing to see how many people were still out on the course at 3:00 am walking/shuffling/running along.  The looks on their faces and obviously broken bodies were a sight to behold.  A completely different kind of running.  I have run more the last two weeks than I have in almost any two week period of my entire life - and there will be runners who cover my two week total in the 24 hour period!  Just incredible.  It's hard to complain about being beat up, sore, and tired once you see these dedicated warriors.

Weekly Total: 63 miles

A few bumps and bruises this week, but still knocking off the mileage as planned.  Even though the tempo run didn't quite go as planned, the marathon pace run was a great early sign of where I am at in training.  It was also a tough week with the weather, and based on the forecast for next week, it's only going to get worse.  I think if I can survive the next month of hard training in the heat, I will be in a great position when the weather finally cools off.  6 weeks to the half marathon, 13 weeks to the marathon.

Baltimore Marathon Training Week 4

Monday, July 4th:
Happy 4th of July!

5:20 am, 69 degrees, 95%, calm.  Valley Run-Kilmer-Cherry Hill Blvd Loop.  New Balance 890.

8m easy - 7:51 average.  No fireworks today, but after a very sluggish first two miles (8:47 15!), I intentionally picked up the pace and averaged 7:38 the last 6 miles.  It's crazy - no matter how sluggish and crappy I feel at a given point during an easy run, at some point I literally feel the switch going off and the momentum building as if I am gathering steam and strength with every step.  I hope this trend continues, because it's a pretty awesome feeling to go from feeling that tired/lousy to that strong/rejuvenated.  Good sign for the marathon.

1:00 pm, 85 degrees, 55%, 0-10 mph.  Merchantville Loop (short version).  Nike Lunarfly.

4m easy progression - 7:36 average.  Almost the same pattern from this morning, in an abbreviated version.  Opened with a relatively slow first mile (8:05) but just kept gaining steam each mile thereafter (7:38 27 12).  Despite the heat, I felt very light on my feet and relaxed, focusing on form and breathing.  I actually feel very strong going into my day off tomorrow, but I am keeping the bigger picture in mind and taking my breaks as they come.  This is my first scheduled 60+ mile week of running since I resumed running 3 1/2 years ago, and being that I am supposed to AVERAGE 60 miles a week from now until Sept. 18th, I better rest when I can.

Tuesday, July 5th:

Off

Wednesday, July 6th:

4:40 am, 72 degrees, 90%, calm.  Cherry Hill West Track.  Nike Run Avant.

2m warmup, 8x800m (2:53) w/200m slow recovery jogs, 2m cooldown

Actual splits: (2:54 51 52 52 52 53 52 46)

Ridiculous humidity made this workout harder than it should have felt.  The warmup and cooldown paces were pedestrian and the first rep felt difficult, but I settled down around the third rep and fell into a decent rhythm.  I didn't check my splits for the last rep and just ran it on feel, focusing on form/turnover and trying to push the pace - not all out, but faster.  All in all, a good workout considering the conditions.

Thursday, July 7th:

4:45 am, 73 degrees, 95%, 5mph.  Maple Shade Loop (Long version).  New Balance 890.

7m easy - 8:01 average.  Another ridiculously humid morning.  Didn't even bother trying to push the pace today, just let the run come.  Did focus on shorter strides and quicker turnover today, as my left hamstring was a little tight at the beginning of the run, but thanks to the humidity was overly supple at the end.  It's going to be a long summer at this rate.

2:15 pm, 91 degrees, 40%, 0-5mph.  Neighborhood.  Saucony C2.

3m easy - 7:40 average.  Hot. Very Hot.  But easy.

Friday, July 8th:

5:45 am, 72 degrees, 85%, calm.  Moorestown.  Adidas Marathon 10.

7m easy - 7:51 average.  Easy conversational run with Rich.  Ran two loops on the crushed gravel path again.  Forgot how good it feels on the feet/legs.  I have decided if I ever inherit/acquire many acres of land, I will install a crushed gravel path around the perimeter of the property and an obnoxiously large pool in the center.  I would call my place Runner's Paradise!

1:00 pm, 83 degrees, 70%, 5-10 mph, overcast/drizzle.  Neighborhood.  Saucony C2.

3m easy - 7:49 average.  Felt much more humid than this morning, but really, how tough can 3 mile easy pace runs be, even in crappy conditions?  I remember when I started running again years ago that I could barely finish without stopping for 2 miles.  Now 3 mile easy pace runs on double days are just a blip on the radar of the overall weekly mileage.  That's a pleasant thought, which makes me think I have accomplished more today than I really have.

Saturday, July 9th:

6:30 am, 70-73 degrees, 90-75%, 0-10 mph.  Moorestown.  Adidas Marathon 10.

2.25m warm up 8:08 avg, 2x2mT w/2:00 jog (5:55 51, 52 50), 9.8m 7:20 avg
Overall - 16.5m, 7:08 average

Humidity started out high but was noticeably falling during the run which was nice.  It was also nice to have Tom Elliott do the tempo segment of the run with me, and he gamely shared the effort.  Felt strong on the easy pace segment after the tempo, at which point Rich, Colleen, and Ralph joined the run.  Conversational pace (had a good debate with Tom about marathon training/racing!), but we did drop the last 3 miles to about 7:08-15 pace which felt smooth.  Covered 1.5m more than I had planned, but couldn't pass up the company of others.  I'll gladly deduct the extra mileage from the total of tomorrow's scheduled recovery run.

Sunday, July 10th:

5:30 am, 67 degrees, 65%, 0-10mph.  Merchantville Loop.  Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).

5.5m rejuvenation pace - 8:10 average.  Oh the irony...best temperature day so far this training cycle and it comes on an easy recovery day.  Oh well.  Made the run feel super comfortable - felt rather spry after yesterday's long workout effort.

Weekly Total: 63 miles

Another solid week.  Terrible humidity almost every day, but I still put in lots of quality running and nailed both workouts.  Felt very strong on my recovery days, which is always a positive sign.  This also marks the first week since high school that I have topped 60m+!  Many more to come this cycle, but still a great benchmark to celebrate.  7 more weeks to the half-marathon, 14 more weeks to the marathon.