2016 Boston Marathon Training – Week 13

I had a sluggish start to the week as muscle soreness from Saturday’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon hit me hard on Monday and Tuesday.  Adjusting to Daylight Savings Time was no picnic either.  I did the rare run commute double on Wednesday in response to the Metro shutdown, which resulted in 20+ miles for that day.  By Friday’s interval workout, my legs were dead.  On the bright side, it’s a month out from the Boston Marathon and we got our bibs numbers this week!

Training Schedule
March 13th – March 19th

Sunday: Specific Endurance Run.  16 miles easy.
Monday: 6 miles easy + hill sprints.
Tuesday: Specific Endurance Intervals.  8 miles + 6 x 400m @ 3K pace w/2-min. active recoveries.
Wednesday: 10 miles moderate.
Thursday: 6 miles easy.
Friday: Specific Endurance Intervals. 3 miles easy, 10 x 1K @ half-marathon-10K pace w/1-min. active recoveries, 3 miles easy.
Saturday: 6 miles easy.

Mileage Total: ~65 Miles

Adaptations. I did a light interval workout on Tuesday.  On Wednesday, I did 12 miles instead of 10 and then doubled that evening for 20 miles on the day.  By Friday, I was exhausted and cut the repetitions in the interval workout to 6 instead of 10.

Details

Specific Endurance Run. 16 miles easy [Log Details].

I decided to meet up with my club.  We ran an out and back along the Capitol Crescent Trail starting out of Georgetown.  I started with a group of 6 women but 5 miles in, it was just me and another woman.  She was a great conversationalist and we talked non-stop the entire time.  We turned around about a half mile on the Georgetown Branch Trail.  I was still running strong despite running a half marathon the day before.  Then, just past Fletcher’s Boathouse, I really started to feel tired.  If I was by myself, I would have slowed down.  Instead, I powered through. I reminded myself, You’re teaching yourself to run hard when you’re tired.

Average pace=8:42.

Specific Endurance Intervals.  8 miles + 6 x 400m @ 3K pace w/2-min. active recoveries [Log Details].

I was still recovering from Rock ‘n’ Roll DC but also wanted to make sure my body knew it’s still in training so I threw in an interval workout early in the week.  I didn’t quite hit 3K pace (6:29-6:39) for most of the reps.  I stopped a little early on one rep so I wouldn’t pass another runner and then immediately slow down for the recovery and then another rep was on an incline.  I thought it went well.  I noticed my right heel hurt, though.

400m paces=6:49, 7:20, 6:25, 6:34, 6:52, 6:39.  Average=6:47.

Moderate Run + Easy Run – Run Commute Double.  [Log Details – Run 1] [Log Details – Run 2]

On Wednesday, the Washington D.C. Metro system shut down due to safety concerns.  I decided to run commute my moderate run in the morning.  I live 7 miles from work so I ran through some other neighborhoods to make it 10 miles.  A few miles into the run, I saw my pace was on fast side.  I felt so good that I decided to just go with it.  In the end, I ran 12 miles at a blistering 8:00 pace!

Towards the end of the workday, I realized I hadn’t thought about how I was getting home.  I checked the WMATA website for a route home involving only buses and it showed delays on the downtown bus routes.  I decided I would run part of the way home.  Except, once I was mid-way through, I decided to go ahead and run the entire way.  The race run commute double!

Average paces=7:59 and 8:20, respectively.

Specific Endurance Intervals. 3 miles easy, 6 x 1K @ half-marathon-10K pace w/1-min. active recoveries, 3 miles easy [Log Details].

Between the unintended double on Wednesday and happy hour on Thursday night, my legs were refusing to get up early on Friday morning.  I did the workout in the afternoon and cut the number of repetitions down to 6 instead of 10.

I checked the weather before the run and saw it was windy – 13 mph out of the west with 20 mph gusts.  I set my Garmin for 7:06-7:42, which is the range I’ve been using for 10K to half marathon pace, but knew I might run on the slower side due to fatigue and the weather.  The winds were so strong that – running across the 14th Street Bridge for the warm-up and cool-down – I thought I was going to get blown into the river!

The workout itself went well.  I actually wasn’t that far off from the marathon pace I ran at Saturday’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon.

1K paces=7:21, 7:34, 7:27, 7:23, 7:14, and 7:34.  Average=7:26.

Other Running-Related Activities

Racing Schedule.  We got our bib numbers this week.  I’ll be in Wave 2, Corral 6.

Nutrition.  My March Stridebox came on Monday.  I ate the Element Snacks Rice Cakes (What is this the 80s?  Who eats rice cakes anymore?) before my run on Friday.  It was actually really good!  I should start eating race cakes.

Gear.  The gear excitement for the week was getting to know my new Garmin Forerunner 630 ($399.99).  I didn’t think I’d be able to use the Garmin Connect App since my personal phone is the Blackberry Z10.  But, after doing some internet searches, I found a way to hack the app!

I also bought a new sports bra at the Rock ‘n’ Roll expo – the Brooks Juno Racerback Sports Bra ($60).

I ordered a replacement pair of the New Balance 880s ($99.00).  I like the Mizuno Rave Rider but once I retired my old pair of the 880s, I had second thoughts.  Running in them on Friday, I realized I made the right choice going with the Mizunos.

Media of the Week

Song.  “Washing of the Water” by Peter Gabriel.  With all the rain this week, this song seemed fitting when it came on.

The Week Ahead

I start the sharpening period next week and my mileage will come close to 80 miles.

Inspiration.  “Endure and persist; this pain will turn to good by the by.” – Ovid