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.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, July 11, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, July 4, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Baltimore Marathon Training Week 3
Monday, June 27th:
5:20 am, 67 degrees, 80% humidity, 0-5mph. Home-Kilmer Loop-Home. Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).
6m rejuvenation pace - 8:41 average. First couple of miles I just couldn't get moving, but then again, I didn't really try to push the pace. Just let the run happen. Got a surprising surge at mile 4.5 and finished strong. Definitely forging my mental strength.
Tuesday, June 28th:
Day off. I don't feel as physically beat up as my day off last Tuesday, but it's been a hectic day at the office and my Mom flew into town today so I am glad running is not on the schedule for once.
Wednesday, June 29th:
5:00 am, 75 degrees, 80%, 5mph. Maple Shade Loop (Medium). Saucony C2.
6m easy (BOF) - 8:00 average. Very humid, thick air this morning, but ran very even splits and felt strong the whole way. Could have done my mid-week workout today, but thought I would hold off for better conditions tomorrow morning when I am off work and the temps are supposed to be a little better. The deer imagery has become my everyday run focusing tool to give me strength and I am loving it!
Thursday, June 30th:
4:55 am, 65 degrees, 70%, calm. Home-Valley Run-Knollwood-Valley Run-Home. New Balance 890.
1m warmup, 7m alternating tempo run (.38m@6:00/mi, .62m@6:35/mi), 1m cooldown. Actual splits (5:57 6:33, 48 31, 57 32, 58 31, 55 32, 59 32, 55 [uphill] 32).
I was well rested for this workout and it showed. I was really amped up the first three miles and had to hold back on both the faster and the recovery segments. I got into a little bit of a better rhythm the last 4 miles but still had a hard time finding exactly the right paces - not because the workout felt difficult, but because I just wanted to let loose. Very happy with the way I felt and the overall splits. Took Gatorade at miles 3.5/6.5/8, and took a Gu at mile 5.
Friday, July 1st:
5:45 am, 65 degrees, 65%, calm. Moorestown High School. Saucony C2.
6m easy - 7:53 average. Absolutely picture perfect morning. Ran easy on the track while the group did its workout. Legs felt pretty recovered after yesterday, although hamstrings were a little tight afterward. Really enjoying this recovery week with no doubles and a drop in mileage.
Saturday, July 2nd:
5:00 am, 65-70 degrees, 80%, calm. 4x Tavistock Loop (long version) + add on.
17m easy - 7:56 average. Longest run of the year (so far). Goal was to be on my feet for about 2 hours and 15 minutes, and the time of the run was 2:14.53. Can't really argue with pacing. Forcing myself to stay at a slow pace helped practice fat burning and patience. I also got to run LOTS of hills and I felt strong each time I attacked one. I took about a 30 second break after each loop to fuel, which has led me to consider a run/walk strategy for the marathon. It may go against the norm for most people that plan to run sub-3 hours, but it is making more and more sense to me, even if I incorporate it to only a segment of the actual race. May have to practice more in training before I decide to give the run/walk thing a go, but I am really happy with where I am at.
Sunday, July 3rd:
5:30 am, 73 degrees, 80%, 0-10mph. Maple Shade Loop (Medium). Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).
6m easy (BOF) - 8:06. Very tight glute muscles from all those hills yesterday and the air was very thick and humid this morning. Regardless, I fell into a metronome-like rhythm after the first mile and finished feeling solid after yet another 50 mile week (on a recovery week no less!).
Weekly Total: 50 miles
I have found that the secret to getting stronger doesn't come from doing monster workouts or crazy fast time trials. It comes from putting in the work everyday and doing what is on the schedule - easy means easy, recovery means recovery, tempo means tempo, long means long. When you can do that, stay healthy, and put in week after week of quality running, there's no end to the gains in fitness.
8 weeks to the half-marathon, 15 weeks to the marathon.
5:20 am, 67 degrees, 80% humidity, 0-5mph. Home-Kilmer Loop-Home. Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).
6m rejuvenation pace - 8:41 average. First couple of miles I just couldn't get moving, but then again, I didn't really try to push the pace. Just let the run happen. Got a surprising surge at mile 4.5 and finished strong. Definitely forging my mental strength.
Tuesday, June 28th:
Day off. I don't feel as physically beat up as my day off last Tuesday, but it's been a hectic day at the office and my Mom flew into town today so I am glad running is not on the schedule for once.
Wednesday, June 29th:
5:00 am, 75 degrees, 80%, 5mph. Maple Shade Loop (Medium). Saucony C2.
6m easy (BOF) - 8:00 average. Very humid, thick air this morning, but ran very even splits and felt strong the whole way. Could have done my mid-week workout today, but thought I would hold off for better conditions tomorrow morning when I am off work and the temps are supposed to be a little better. The deer imagery has become my everyday run focusing tool to give me strength and I am loving it!
Thursday, June 30th:
4:55 am, 65 degrees, 70%, calm. Home-Valley Run-Knollwood-Valley Run-Home. New Balance 890.
1m warmup, 7m alternating tempo run (.38m@6:00/mi, .62m@6:35/mi), 1m cooldown. Actual splits (5:57 6:33, 48 31, 57 32, 58 31, 55 32, 59 32, 55 [uphill] 32).
I was well rested for this workout and it showed. I was really amped up the first three miles and had to hold back on both the faster and the recovery segments. I got into a little bit of a better rhythm the last 4 miles but still had a hard time finding exactly the right paces - not because the workout felt difficult, but because I just wanted to let loose. Very happy with the way I felt and the overall splits. Took Gatorade at miles 3.5/6.5/8, and took a Gu at mile 5.
Friday, July 1st:
5:45 am, 65 degrees, 65%, calm. Moorestown High School. Saucony C2.
6m easy - 7:53 average. Absolutely picture perfect morning. Ran easy on the track while the group did its workout. Legs felt pretty recovered after yesterday, although hamstrings were a little tight afterward. Really enjoying this recovery week with no doubles and a drop in mileage.
Saturday, July 2nd:
5:00 am, 65-70 degrees, 80%, calm. 4x Tavistock Loop (long version) + add on.
17m easy - 7:56 average. Longest run of the year (so far). Goal was to be on my feet for about 2 hours and 15 minutes, and the time of the run was 2:14.53. Can't really argue with pacing. Forcing myself to stay at a slow pace helped practice fat burning and patience. I also got to run LOTS of hills and I felt strong each time I attacked one. I took about a 30 second break after each loop to fuel, which has led me to consider a run/walk strategy for the marathon. It may go against the norm for most people that plan to run sub-3 hours, but it is making more and more sense to me, even if I incorporate it to only a segment of the actual race. May have to practice more in training before I decide to give the run/walk thing a go, but I am really happy with where I am at.
Sunday, July 3rd:
5:30 am, 73 degrees, 80%, 0-10mph. Maple Shade Loop (Medium). Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).
6m easy (BOF) - 8:06. Very tight glute muscles from all those hills yesterday and the air was very thick and humid this morning. Regardless, I fell into a metronome-like rhythm after the first mile and finished feeling solid after yet another 50 mile week (on a recovery week no less!).
Weekly Total: 50 miles
I have found that the secret to getting stronger doesn't come from doing monster workouts or crazy fast time trials. It comes from putting in the work everyday and doing what is on the schedule - easy means easy, recovery means recovery, tempo means tempo, long means long. When you can do that, stay healthy, and put in week after week of quality running, there's no end to the gains in fitness.
8 weeks to the half-marathon, 15 weeks to the marathon.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Baltimore Marathon Training Week 2
Monday, June 20th:
5:15 am, 64 degrees, 90%, calm. Neighborhood-Merchantville-Neighborhood. Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).
7m rejuvenation pace - 8:38 average. Woke up with a very tight/sore right calf/shin. As I left the house, I noticed somebody's dog (at least I hope it was somebody's dog) left a nice number two on my freshly cut lawn - somebody obviously tried to pick it up, which only made it worse. The point of me mentioning this is that my body felt like that image. Crap.
I also have some nice poison ivy going on my arms right now, so I had to run with my watch in my shorts' pocket. It was probably better that way so that I wouldn't have been depressed by my pace today. I actually finished up pretty strong the last two miles, so overall I feel good about myself for getting in the miles while feeling like poop. Tomorrow's an off day. Thank god.
Tuesday, June 21st:
As planned, no running. My right shin is still incredibly sore - almost feels like shin splints, which I haven't had since high school. Right now I don't think it's going to cost me any time off, as it seems to be progressively getting better as the day goes on. I bought a new pair of shoes over the weekend which I am dying to try out tomorrow. Guess we'll wait and see what tomorrow morning brings. Such is life.
Wednesday, June 22nd:
5:00 am, 68 degrees, 90%, calm. Home-Cherry Hill West Track-Home. New Balance 890.
2.25m warmup, 6x800m (2:53 +/-) w/200m slow jogs (1:30 +/-), 2m cooldown
Actual splits and recovery (2:53 1:25 2:53 1:23 2:53 1:26 2:50 1:23 2:53 1:25 2:52 1:21)
I tentatively left the house this morning wondering how my shin would hold up. I took an ice bath last night and slept in my compression socks which seemed to help. I thought it was a good sign when the overnight thunderstorm cleared my area just before I was scheduled to begin.
About a mile in, I felt nice and loose. Normally I would have done this workout on the road, but I decided to do it on the track because I didn't know how my rhythm would be thrown off by thinking about my shin. As you can see, I got into a nice rhythm and the workout felt pretty comfortable. I felt really loose and controlled on the cooldown afterward. Hopefully, the shin thing is behind me -- I'll make sure I really take my easy runs easy in the next few days and monitor closely. New shoes felt spectacular by the way - would highly recommend as a plush lightweight trainer/racer.
Thursday, June 23rd:
5:00 am, 73 degrees, 90%, calm. Home-Kilmer Loop-Home. Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).
6m easy (BOF)- 8:02 average. Gotta love these easy runs, especially when the dewpoint is so high (72 this morning at 5:00 am)! Felt a lot better than the recovery run on Monday - I am learning it's important to take this easy runs really easy in order to be fresh for workouts. And the poison ivy on my arms finally seems to be healing, so I am hoping I can actually wear my Garmin the proper way by Sunday's long-run workout.
2:00 pm, 85 degrees, 60%, calm. Neighborhood. Saucony C2.
3m easy - 7:42 average. It's amazing that in the humidity and bright sun at 2:00 pm, the air temperature felt no worse than this morning's air temperature. Then I realized the dew point was "only" 71 this afternoon - so it stayed roughly constant from 5:00 am this morning, even as the air temperature rose (and of course the relative humidity fell). I am also noticing that these short second runs on double days require less effort than their morning counterparts. Hope that's the case tomorrow as I have got another easy double on the schedule.
Friday, June 24th:
5:45 am, 68 degrees, 90%, 0-5mph. Moorestown. New Balance 890.
7m easy - 7:52 average. First two miles relaxed pace with MDRP - great to see Ron Brock back in the stable! The group broke off for their various workouts and I continued with 5 more easy miles with two loops around the Westfield Ave crushed gravel path. You know it's a great run when you come across a deer on your path and you get to see it glide gracefully and noiselessly off into the woods. Great mental imagery for the rest of my run - felt like I had powerful, graceful stride.
2:15 pm, 82 degress, 55%, 5-10mph. Neighborhood. Adidas Marathon 10.
2.5m easy - 7:47 average. While the run was purposefully short, I felt like I accomplished a lot with this little easy session. I watched the USATF trials last night and took careful note of Shalane Flanagan's almost perfect form in the Women's 10,000m. She is noted for getting a lot of pushoff from her stride and moving everything forward with little wasted effort. I picked up on something she does that I lack - she brings her arm swing higher in front of her body than I do, almost like a boxer's jab into the air - I think this is what helps direct her motion straight ahead. I implemented this technique into my run today and noticed how much more effortless that motion made my stride - I almost felt like I was walking because my footstrike was so light and fast. I feel like things are falling into place this marathon cycle, even though it's only week two. And this after I felt so terrible on Monday.
Saturday, June 25th:
4:50 am, 65 degrees, 90%, calm. Maple Shade Loop (Medium). Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).
6m easy - 7:46 average. At various moments, I found myself itching for tomorrow's long run workout. Had to harness the energy and remember the purpose of today's run - easy miles. Goal accomplished.
Sunday, June 26th:
6:00 am, 67-70 degrees, 70%, 0-10mph. Haddonfield Running Company-Cooper River-Tavistock. Adidas Marathon 10.
16.5m - 7:03 overall average
workout breakdown:
2m warmup - 7:52 average, 5x1 mile T-pace w/1:00 recovery jogs (5:54 54 51 50 48), 1m recovery 7:55, 8m easy 7:17 average
Super stoked! I really enjoyed this Daniel's-style workout and it went a lot smoother than I anticipated. The tempo miles were relaxed and under control. I hit up a gu and about 6oz of Gatorade between the 4th and 5th rep, so I was digesting that the first half mile of the last rep before settling down, keeping everything relaxed and focusing on my Deer imagery and my "The Hawk Will Never Die!" mantra on my Road ID bracelet. Last rep was a tad quick, but I was happy. The recovery mile felt very easy. It was great to have John and Rich join me for the last 8 miles. We ran the Tavistock Hills and I was surprised how easy 7:17 pace felt on the hills - I think I powered up Triple Hill during a 7:04 mile and was completely within myself. Great way to end the week and a huge confidence booster.
Weekly Total: 56 miles
Couldn't have asked for more from the two workouts. Learning to keep my easy runs really easy - I am anticipating another 8:30 pace stroll tomorrow morning, but that's okay. Staying fresh for the workouts is what's most important, as they pay off with the most reward. I get to cut back mileage a little this upcoming week, which is nice since my Mom will be in town. 9 weeks to the half-marathon, 16 weeks to the marathon.
5:15 am, 64 degrees, 90%, calm. Neighborhood-Merchantville-Neighborhood. Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).
7m rejuvenation pace - 8:38 average. Woke up with a very tight/sore right calf/shin. As I left the house, I noticed somebody's dog (at least I hope it was somebody's dog) left a nice number two on my freshly cut lawn - somebody obviously tried to pick it up, which only made it worse. The point of me mentioning this is that my body felt like that image. Crap.
I also have some nice poison ivy going on my arms right now, so I had to run with my watch in my shorts' pocket. It was probably better that way so that I wouldn't have been depressed by my pace today. I actually finished up pretty strong the last two miles, so overall I feel good about myself for getting in the miles while feeling like poop. Tomorrow's an off day. Thank god.
Tuesday, June 21st:
As planned, no running. My right shin is still incredibly sore - almost feels like shin splints, which I haven't had since high school. Right now I don't think it's going to cost me any time off, as it seems to be progressively getting better as the day goes on. I bought a new pair of shoes over the weekend which I am dying to try out tomorrow. Guess we'll wait and see what tomorrow morning brings. Such is life.
Wednesday, June 22nd:
5:00 am, 68 degrees, 90%, calm. Home-Cherry Hill West Track-Home. New Balance 890.
2.25m warmup, 6x800m (2:53 +/-) w/200m slow jogs (1:30 +/-), 2m cooldown
Actual splits and recovery (2:53 1:25 2:53 1:23 2:53 1:26 2:50 1:23 2:53 1:25 2:52 1:21)
I tentatively left the house this morning wondering how my shin would hold up. I took an ice bath last night and slept in my compression socks which seemed to help. I thought it was a good sign when the overnight thunderstorm cleared my area just before I was scheduled to begin.
About a mile in, I felt nice and loose. Normally I would have done this workout on the road, but I decided to do it on the track because I didn't know how my rhythm would be thrown off by thinking about my shin. As you can see, I got into a nice rhythm and the workout felt pretty comfortable. I felt really loose and controlled on the cooldown afterward. Hopefully, the shin thing is behind me -- I'll make sure I really take my easy runs easy in the next few days and monitor closely. New shoes felt spectacular by the way - would highly recommend as a plush lightweight trainer/racer.
Thursday, June 23rd:
5:00 am, 73 degrees, 90%, calm. Home-Kilmer Loop-Home. Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).
6m easy (BOF)- 8:02 average. Gotta love these easy runs, especially when the dewpoint is so high (72 this morning at 5:00 am)! Felt a lot better than the recovery run on Monday - I am learning it's important to take this easy runs really easy in order to be fresh for workouts. And the poison ivy on my arms finally seems to be healing, so I am hoping I can actually wear my Garmin the proper way by Sunday's long-run workout.
2:00 pm, 85 degrees, 60%, calm. Neighborhood. Saucony C2.
3m easy - 7:42 average. It's amazing that in the humidity and bright sun at 2:00 pm, the air temperature felt no worse than this morning's air temperature. Then I realized the dew point was "only" 71 this afternoon - so it stayed roughly constant from 5:00 am this morning, even as the air temperature rose (and of course the relative humidity fell). I am also noticing that these short second runs on double days require less effort than their morning counterparts. Hope that's the case tomorrow as I have got another easy double on the schedule.
Friday, June 24th:
5:45 am, 68 degrees, 90%, 0-5mph. Moorestown. New Balance 890.
7m easy - 7:52 average. First two miles relaxed pace with MDRP - great to see Ron Brock back in the stable! The group broke off for their various workouts and I continued with 5 more easy miles with two loops around the Westfield Ave crushed gravel path. You know it's a great run when you come across a deer on your path and you get to see it glide gracefully and noiselessly off into the woods. Great mental imagery for the rest of my run - felt like I had powerful, graceful stride.
2:15 pm, 82 degress, 55%, 5-10mph. Neighborhood. Adidas Marathon 10.
2.5m easy - 7:47 average. While the run was purposefully short, I felt like I accomplished a lot with this little easy session. I watched the USATF trials last night and took careful note of Shalane Flanagan's almost perfect form in the Women's 10,000m. She is noted for getting a lot of pushoff from her stride and moving everything forward with little wasted effort. I picked up on something she does that I lack - she brings her arm swing higher in front of her body than I do, almost like a boxer's jab into the air - I think this is what helps direct her motion straight ahead. I implemented this technique into my run today and noticed how much more effortless that motion made my stride - I almost felt like I was walking because my footstrike was so light and fast. I feel like things are falling into place this marathon cycle, even though it's only week two. And this after I felt so terrible on Monday.
Saturday, June 25th:
4:50 am, 65 degrees, 90%, calm. Maple Shade Loop (Medium). Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).
6m easy - 7:46 average. At various moments, I found myself itching for tomorrow's long run workout. Had to harness the energy and remember the purpose of today's run - easy miles. Goal accomplished.
Sunday, June 26th:
6:00 am, 67-70 degrees, 70%, 0-10mph. Haddonfield Running Company-Cooper River-Tavistock. Adidas Marathon 10.
16.5m - 7:03 overall average
workout breakdown:
2m warmup - 7:52 average, 5x1 mile T-pace w/1:00 recovery jogs (5:54 54 51 50 48), 1m recovery 7:55, 8m easy 7:17 average
Super stoked! I really enjoyed this Daniel's-style workout and it went a lot smoother than I anticipated. The tempo miles were relaxed and under control. I hit up a gu and about 6oz of Gatorade between the 4th and 5th rep, so I was digesting that the first half mile of the last rep before settling down, keeping everything relaxed and focusing on my Deer imagery and my "The Hawk Will Never Die!" mantra on my Road ID bracelet. Last rep was a tad quick, but I was happy. The recovery mile felt very easy. It was great to have John and Rich join me for the last 8 miles. We ran the Tavistock Hills and I was surprised how easy 7:17 pace felt on the hills - I think I powered up Triple Hill during a 7:04 mile and was completely within myself. Great way to end the week and a huge confidence booster.
Weekly Total: 56 miles
Couldn't have asked for more from the two workouts. Learning to keep my easy runs really easy - I am anticipating another 8:30 pace stroll tomorrow morning, but that's okay. Staying fresh for the workouts is what's most important, as they pay off with the most reward. I get to cut back mileage a little this upcoming week, which is nice since my Mom will be in town. 9 weeks to the half-marathon, 16 weeks to the marathon.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Baltimore Marathon Training Week 1
Monday, June 13th:
Day one - the promise of a new beginning.
5:05 am, 64 degrees, 75% humidity, 10-15 mph wind. Maple Shade loop - long version. Saucony C2.
8m easy - 8:08 average. Ran based on feel (BOF) - meaning, I didn't check my watch until the run was over. Recovery from yesterday's 14 mile long run. Felt pretty relaxed and smooth - thought I was moving faster than I was, but hey, that's what easy runs are for and it is only day one. No need to get ahead of myself. 18 weeks to go.
Tuesday, June 14th:
Scheduled off day. Sundays are usually my long run days, Monday is always my long day at work, so Tuesday is the day I almost always take off. My most important training day of the week.
Wednesday, June 15th:
5:00 am, 56 degrees, 75% humidity, 0-5mph wind. Home-Valley Run-Knollwood-Valley Run-Home. Nike Run+Avant.
1.5m warmup, 6m alternating tempo run (.25m@6:05/mi, .75m@6:40/mi), 1.5m cooldown. My actual pace splits for each segment (6:00 38, 02 40, 04 36, 03 38, 00 38, 04 39)
The goal of this workout is to improve my body's ability to clear lactate. Because the "recovery" periods were long, I felt pretty in control throughout the run and the pickups were very manageable. You will see me use this style of workout every other week with the hard segments getting faster and longer and the recovery segments getting faster and shorter. Two weeks before my half marathon, I will essentially need to "average" 8 miles at goal half-marathon pace. I prefer not to think about that right now.
Thursday, June 16th:
4:55 am, 62 degrees, 80%, calm. Maple Shade loop - medium version. Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).
6m easy - 7:57 average. There was nothing easy about this morning's run. I felt exhausted, legs heavy/tired, just couldn't get myself moving. I know there are going to be many runs like this during the marathon cycle, but I was hoping they wouldn't start on day four.
2:30 pm, 78 degrees, 40%, 5-10 mph. Merchantville Loop (Short). Nike Pegasus 27+ (Blue).
4m easy - 7:34 average. Literal night and day difference from this morning. Guess that afternoon cup of coffee at 12:30 pm was a good pick me up. Glad my first double turned out successful, especially after this morning's disaster.
Friday, June 17th:
5:45 am, 68 degrees, 90%, 0-5mph. Moorestown High School. Adidas Marathon 10.
7m easy - 7:30 average. Joined some of my friends for their morning workout. We did the first two miles together, they did their workout while I got in 3 more easy miles, and then I joined Tom Elliott on the track for 5x200m (40 seconds) with 400m easy jog recoveries. The pick-me ups were an effortless way to add quality running on an easy day. Finished feeling fresh.
Skipped my afternoon easy run and took a nap instead. Sometimes you just have to listen to your body. I didn't feel guilty since I got some bonus quality running in this morning and I want to make sure I give myself enough recovery time between my workouts this cycle.
Saturday, June 18th:
7:30 am, 75 degrees, 70%, 0-10mph. Moorestown Store Run - long version. Saucony C2.
8m easy - 7:30 average. Nice conversational pace with John Denning and Rich Wojnar. Legs were a little heavy the last couple miles, but shortening my stride and increasing turnover quickly alleviated the discomfort. Feel refreshed for tomorrow's workout.
Sunday, June 19th:
Father's Day
5:00 am, 66 degrees, 90%, 0-5mph. Home-Garden State-Cooper River-Garden State-Home. Adidas Marathon 10.
3m easy, 6m @ 6:15/mi, 3m easy
Actual tempo segment mile splits (6:15 10 11 10 12 10). Had to work a lot harder than I wanted to - due mostly I believe to the high humidity. Still, I did get into a pretty solid rhythm from mile 1.5-4.5. Legs were pretty heavy on the cooldown, but was able to comfortably maintain 7:30 pace. Also wore my new Road ID bracelet the girls got me for Father's Day. Frankie asked me when I got home if it made me faster. I told her that it makes me stronger, even when I am weak. She smiled.
12:30 pm, 80 degrees, 45%, 5-10 mph. Neighborhood loop. Nike Lunarfly.
2m easy - 8:14 average. Decided to do an easy shakeout run after this morning's tough tempo. Glad I did. Second mile felt smooth and got in some quality stretching after.
Weekly Total: 56 miles
A few bumps here and there, but finished my first week in one piece and got in some nice quality workouts. 10 more weeks to half marathon. 17 weeks to marathon.
Day one - the promise of a new beginning.
5:05 am, 64 degrees, 75% humidity, 10-15 mph wind. Maple Shade loop - long version. Saucony C2.
8m easy - 8:08 average. Ran based on feel (BOF) - meaning, I didn't check my watch until the run was over. Recovery from yesterday's 14 mile long run. Felt pretty relaxed and smooth - thought I was moving faster than I was, but hey, that's what easy runs are for and it is only day one. No need to get ahead of myself. 18 weeks to go.
Tuesday, June 14th:
Scheduled off day. Sundays are usually my long run days, Monday is always my long day at work, so Tuesday is the day I almost always take off. My most important training day of the week.
Wednesday, June 15th:
5:00 am, 56 degrees, 75% humidity, 0-5mph wind. Home-Valley Run-Knollwood-Valley Run-Home. Nike Run+Avant.
1.5m warmup, 6m alternating tempo run (.25m@6:05/mi, .75m@6:40/mi), 1.5m cooldown. My actual pace splits for each segment (6:00 38, 02 40, 04 36, 03 38, 00 38, 04 39)
The goal of this workout is to improve my body's ability to clear lactate. Because the "recovery" periods were long, I felt pretty in control throughout the run and the pickups were very manageable. You will see me use this style of workout every other week with the hard segments getting faster and longer and the recovery segments getting faster and shorter. Two weeks before my half marathon, I will essentially need to "average" 8 miles at goal half-marathon pace. I prefer not to think about that right now.
Thursday, June 16th:
4:55 am, 62 degrees, 80%, calm. Maple Shade loop - medium version. Nike Pegasus 27+ (Red).
6m easy - 7:57 average. There was nothing easy about this morning's run. I felt exhausted, legs heavy/tired, just couldn't get myself moving. I know there are going to be many runs like this during the marathon cycle, but I was hoping they wouldn't start on day four.
2:30 pm, 78 degrees, 40%, 5-10 mph. Merchantville Loop (Short). Nike Pegasus 27+ (Blue).
4m easy - 7:34 average. Literal night and day difference from this morning. Guess that afternoon cup of coffee at 12:30 pm was a good pick me up. Glad my first double turned out successful, especially after this morning's disaster.
Friday, June 17th:
5:45 am, 68 degrees, 90%, 0-5mph. Moorestown High School. Adidas Marathon 10.
7m easy - 7:30 average. Joined some of my friends for their morning workout. We did the first two miles together, they did their workout while I got in 3 more easy miles, and then I joined Tom Elliott on the track for 5x200m (40 seconds) with 400m easy jog recoveries. The pick-me ups were an effortless way to add quality running on an easy day. Finished feeling fresh.
Skipped my afternoon easy run and took a nap instead. Sometimes you just have to listen to your body. I didn't feel guilty since I got some bonus quality running in this morning and I want to make sure I give myself enough recovery time between my workouts this cycle.
Saturday, June 18th:
7:30 am, 75 degrees, 70%, 0-10mph. Moorestown Store Run - long version. Saucony C2.
8m easy - 7:30 average. Nice conversational pace with John Denning and Rich Wojnar. Legs were a little heavy the last couple miles, but shortening my stride and increasing turnover quickly alleviated the discomfort. Feel refreshed for tomorrow's workout.
Sunday, June 19th:
Father's Day
5:00 am, 66 degrees, 90%, 0-5mph. Home-Garden State-Cooper River-Garden State-Home. Adidas Marathon 10.
3m easy, 6m @ 6:15/mi, 3m easy
Actual tempo segment mile splits (6:15 10 11 10 12 10). Had to work a lot harder than I wanted to - due mostly I believe to the high humidity. Still, I did get into a pretty solid rhythm from mile 1.5-4.5. Legs were pretty heavy on the cooldown, but was able to comfortably maintain 7:30 pace. Also wore my new Road ID bracelet the girls got me for Father's Day. Frankie asked me when I got home if it made me faster. I told her that it makes me stronger, even when I am weak. She smiled.
12:30 pm, 80 degrees, 45%, 5-10 mph. Neighborhood loop. Nike Lunarfly.
2m easy - 8:14 average. Decided to do an easy shakeout run after this morning's tough tempo. Glad I did. Second mile felt smooth and got in some quality stretching after.
Weekly Total: 56 miles
A few bumps here and there, but finished my first week in one piece and got in some nice quality workouts. 10 more weeks to half marathon. 17 weeks to marathon.
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