2016 Boston Marathon Training – Week 6
The mid-Atlantic was hit by a snow storm last Friday through Sunday. The roads and trails were snow and ice covered for days after. For this training week, I took Sunday and Monday off. By Tuesday, I drove to my gym and ran on the treadmill. After three days, I ventured out on the trails again. The rest and treadmill must have done me good because I felt terrific by week’s end!
Training Schedule
Sunday: Specific Endurance Run. 20 miles easy.
Monday: 6 miles easy + hill sprints (AM), 4 mile easy (PM).
Tuesday: 8 miles easy.
Wednesday: Progression Run. 12 miles w/6 miles moderate.
Thursday: 6 miles easy.
Friday: Specific Endurance Run. 3 miles easy, 6 miles @ marathon pace, 3 miles easy.
Saturday: 6 miles easy.
Mileage Total: 74 miles.
Adaptations. With winter storm Jonas in the forecast, I ran long last Friday. I took Sunday and Monday off and then did a threshold run on a treadmill on Tuesday. By Wednesday, I was still on the treadmill but back on schedule. On Friday, I was outdoors.
Details
Threshold Run w/Intervals. 5 Miles Easy, 2 Miles @ Half Marathon Pace + 4 x 400m @ 3K Pace, 2 Miles Easy [Log Details].
As I cautiously venture away from the back-of-the-book schedule in Hudson’s book, I read the section on speed intervals.
For half-marathon and marathon runners, speed training in the fundamental and sharpening periods may take the form of add-on repetition intervals almost exclusively.
The example provided in the books is a 20 minute threshold run @ half marathon pace + 4 x 300m @ 3K pace. Great! Now I have an idea of how to integrate speedwork into my workouts.
Despite the snow storm, I got to the gym on Tuesday with no trouble. I used my Garmin’s internal accelerometer and it showed a very slow pace for the easy segment. On the roads, easy pace has been low 9:00 pace and my Garmin was showing 9:30 pace. I took about a minute rest and then started the half marathon pace segment.
To start, I used the 7.8 setting on the treadmill, which is supposed to be 7:42 pace for the HMP segment. Mid-way through, I thought I was going to die! I lowered the setting to 7.7 but it wasn’t much of a relief. I ran 16:00 instead of 2 miles and then took 3 minutes rest before beginning the add-on intervals.
I programmed the Garmin for 1:40, which is how long it should take me to run 400m @ 3K pace. I ran the first and second at the 9.0 setting but couldn’t finish the time. For the third and fourth, I took the setting down to 8.8 and it went better, but… It was a grueling workout.
Half marathon and 3K pace segments=?
Progression Run. 12 miles w/6 miles moderate. [Log Details].
I ran this run on the treadmill, too. However, this time, I wore a footpod.
I kept the easy miles comfortable. My Garmin was showing a pretty fast pace, though. After 6 miles, I increased the treadmill setting to 6.3/6.4, which is supposed to be about 9:30 pace but, my Garmin was showing mid-8:00 pace. By the end, I was running the 6.7/6.8 setting, which is around 8:50 pace but again, my Garmin was showing a much faster pace. I ran over 9 miles since I didn’t think I was running quite as fast as my Garmin suggested.
After the workout, I read D.C. Rainmaker’s review of the Forerunner 220 accelerometer/footpod. I’m still not sure what to make of my pace.
Moderate pace segment=8:08 pace?
Specific Endurance Run. 3 Miles Easy, 6 Miles @ Marathon Pace, 3 miles Easy. [Log Details].
I left the treadmill and ventured out on the trails. I drove to the Four Mile Run Trail since I knew it was plowed and parked on a side-street.
The first few miles were easy but my calves were sore from the treadmill running. The temperature was hovering at freezing so I encountered a few slick spots where I stopped my Garmin and walked. I spotted them well ahead of time thanks to my headlamp. I reached the junction for the Mount Vernon Trail, which was snow covered, so I headed back.
By the time I reached the W&OD Trail, I was in my marathon pace segment. There were a number of icy patches where I had to stop and walk, though. About 5 miles in, I reached a long slick spot. I ran on the grass to go around it and my shoes sank up to the laces in icy cold water! Ugh!
The rest of the W&OD was packed with snow and I was running uphill, so I wasn’t quite hitting marathon pace. About 6.5 miles in, I came upon some walkers with off-leash dogs. The dogs seemed friendly but I wanted the owners to have them under control. I yelled several times to get their attention but they couldn’t hear me until I was right up on them. About 7 miles in, I hit another big slick spot. This time, I traipsed slowly across it but slipped anyway! Luckily, I fell forward and my hand braced my fall.
I turned around at the junction for the Custis Trail since I only wanted to run 12 miles. Going downhill, I gained some speed. I finished my six miles but felt good so I kept pushing the pace and ran 9 miles total at marathon pace.
Marathon pace miles=8:05, 8:15, 8:11, 8:32, 7:52, 7:59, 7:24, 7:17. 7:38. Average=7:54.
Other Running-Related Activities
Gear. I went out to my car on Tuesday and… someone stole my gym bag out of my car! When I was shoveling my car out, I thought about taking it inside but I thought, Don’t be silly. Who’s going to steal a gym bag? Well… It was a very nice gym bag. With the exception of sport gear, I don’t buy a lot of nice things so I’m a little upset about it. I looked at a few bags and might buy the Nike Victory Gym Club Bag ($110) and Nike Victory Gym Tote ($100) to replace it. Neither are as cool as my old bag, though.
I also purchased some Yaktrax since I heard the Farmer’s Almanac says our area has two more storms ahead this winter.
Nutrition. During Tuesday’s tempo workout, I drank Liquid IV from January’s Stridebox. It reminded me of VitaLyte. It’s pretty tasty but I’m not sure it helped my workout. On Wednesday, I had the Sword drink from December’s. I had a pretty great workout and am wondering if it helped.
Media of the Week
Song. “Cake By the Ocean,” by DNCE. I looked up information on this band and there’s a Jonas brother in it. And, I discovered it during a storm named Jonas. Freaky.
The Week Ahead
There’s a warming trend in the forecast so I’m hopeful I can get back on track with my training. I plan to do 70+ miles next week including a 20+ miler tomorrow.
Inspiration. “To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.” – Steve Prefontaine