2016 Boston Marathon Training – Week 14

This week, I started the sharpening phase of my marathon training.  Sunday’s long run went well but took a lot out of me.  By Tuesday’s workout, I was still too tired to hit my goal paces no matter how hard I tried to push myself.  I rebounded over the next two days and crushed Friday’s interval workout!  I’m feeling great heading into next week…  Peak week!

 

Training Schedule
March 20th – March 26th

Sunday: Specific Endurance Run.  22-24 miles easy.
Monday: 8 miles easy + hill sprints.
Tuesday: Progression Run. 2 miles easy, 6 miles accelerating from marathon pace to half marathon pace, 2 miles easy.
Wednesday: 14 miles moderate.
Thursday: 10 miles easy.
Friday: Specific Endurance Intervals. 2 miles easy, 4 x 10 min. @ half marathon pace w/4-min. active recoveries, 2 miles easy.
Saturday: 6 miles easy.

Mileage Total: ~80 Miles

Adaptations.  I didn’t deviate much from the back-of-the-book Hudson plan.  The changes I did make left me running a little less mileage.  I took out an easy mile here and there.  I attempted Tuesday’s progression run but it ended up being a marathon pace run when I couldn’t manage anything faster.

Details

Specific Endurance Run.  22-24 miles easy [Log Details].

I started a little late in the day, so I ran from home rather than meeting up with my running club.  I felt pretty good going into the run – I went to bed early the night before and had a good pre-run snack.

The first few miles went smoothly.  My pace felt a little fast but I didn’t slow myself down too much because I felt I could handle it.   About 3 miles in, I encountered a pretty steep hill and had to slow down.  At the 35 minute mark, I stopped for a while to start my first Accel Gel.  I used the opportunity to switch from music to podcasts.  I expected my pace would slow now that I was listening to people talking but it didn’t.

I slowed down a little when I hit the Mount Vernon Trail.  I stopped to take a picture of a newly installed water fountain and used the break as an excuse to start another gel.  For the first time, I looked at my overall pace.  I wasn’t happy with 8:40 but that’s where I am right now.  And, the worse was still to come – the rolling hills on the Custis Trail.

I took the long uphill on Lee Highway very slow.  With about an hour left in the run, I stopped to start my third Accel Gel – delicious Key Lime – and switched back to music for the final 6 miles.  Overall, I thought the run went well but I was completely exhausted by the end.

Average=8:45 pace.

Progression Run. 2 miles easy, 6 miles at marathon pace, 2 miles easy [Log Details].

Despite seven hours of sleep the night before, when I woke up, I wanted to go back to bed.  In retrospect, I probably should have.

The warm-up was sluggish – 9:30 pace.  Still, I pressed on and thought I could still do the workout as scheduled.  I had programmed my Garmin for the first mile in 7:55 to 8:05 pace and then accelerating 7 seconds/mile to the final mile at 7:20 to 7:30 pace.  It only took a mile for me to realize the pace felt harder than it should.  At the mid-point, I knew there was no way I could go faster and decided to just make this a marathon pace run.  The Hudson plan is about adapting, after all.  My only regret is that I didn’t adjust sooner.

Splits=7:58, 7:52, 7:47, 7:51, 8:01, 7:59.  Average=7:55.

Specific Endurance Intervals. 3 miles easy, 4 x 10 min. @ half marathon pace w/4-min. active recoveries, 3 miles easy [Log Details].

I didn’t sleep well the night before and when I finally got myself up, could hear the wind howling outside.  The winds were 20 mph with 30 mph gusts!

I felt good on during the warmup.  I stopped at a water fountain to see if it was flowing and it was.  Winter is officially over!  During the first interval, I tried to tap into the pace that I ran at Rock ‘n’ Roll DC Half Marathon.  I ran the second interval in a similar manner.  I noticed my right hip instead of my left hurt for a change.  I thought, Great, my left hip has healed and now my right wants in on the action.  I messed up the route a little and had to double-back on the course.  I was still running strong at the end of the workout.  I was very happy with how easy half marathon pace felt.

Half marathon pace segments=7:32, 7:39, 7:32, 7:22 pace.  Average= 7:23 pace.

Other Running-Related Activities

Injuries.  For the first time in a year my left piriformis isn’t causing me pain!  The initial injury occurred last year on March 23rd when I ran the uphill on Lee Highway too hard.  Ironically, I think the hill sprints Hudson has me doing on Mondays is what has finally helped with the pain.

Nutrition.  I’ve been using Accel Rapid Energy Gel and Crank Sports e-Gel.  The key differences between the two are that the Accel Gel has protein and the Crank Sports gel has electrolytes.  I’m thinking electrolytes will more helpful to me than protein during a marathon.  Next, the question becomes: how many Crank Sports e-Gels should I plan to take?  To answer that, I turned to the formulas in the Hansons Marathon Method and stashed 4 gels for Boston.

Gear.  I’m feeling so confident about the Mizuno Wave Rider being my race day shoe that I ordered another pair.

Media of the Week

Song.  “Hook” by Blues Traveler.  This song got me through the hardest rep of Friday’s interval workout.

Podcast.  I listened to to This American Life podcasts during my Sunday long run My Damn Mind and That’s One Way to Do It.  Great episodes, as always, and they made the time fly.

The Week Ahead

Peak week!  While my overall mileage won’t be much higher next week, the intensity of the workouts will.

Inspiration.  “The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost