2017 Eugene Marathon Training – Week 1
I kicked off my training for the 2017 Eugene Marathon this week! I ran every day and hit my mileage goal. The workouts left me tired and sore, though. I ate and slept well. Weather-wise, it was cold but not miserable.
Training Schedule
Week 1: December 18th – December 24th
Sunday: 6 miles recovery.
Monday: Aerobic run. 7 miles easy to steady + 4 miles @ threshold pace.
Tuesday: Interval Run. 4 x 800m @ 10K pace + 8 x 400m @ 5K pace.
Wednesday: 7 miles recovery.
Thursday: Race Specific Run. 2 x 3 miles @ marathon pace w/3 minute.
Friday: 7 miles easy to steady.
Saturday: Long Run. 16 miles easy.
Mileage Total: ~65 Miles
Adaptations. I didn’t want to change much since this was my first week of training for the 2017 Eugene Marathon. I lowered the mileage on Monday and Wednesday, but only by a couple of miles. Friday’s maintenance run turned into recovery pace after a hard workout the day before and a night out with friends.
Goal. Run 60+ miles this week. Outcome: Success! I didn’t get the pace mix that I was expecting – a lot of my running was slow. But, that’s fine. In this early phase of training, my over-arching goal is to build a solid endurance base.
Workout Details
Interval Run. 4 x 800m @ 10K pace w/2:00 recoveries + 2:00 rest + 8 x 400m @ 5K pace w/1:00 recoveries [Log Details].
My goal was to establish a base level of speed work that I could do each week. I decided to do a variation of last week’s workout. I increased the 800m repetitions to four and the 400m to eight. I kept the rests the same for the quarters, but added a little more time between the halves. For pace, I used 7:00-7:15 for 10K and 6:40-6:55 for 5K.
I knew this would be a tough workout but the 800m intervals felt remarkably easy. I was starting in the sub-7:00 pace range and then slowing down to stay under 7:15 pace. This is fantastic!, I thought.
It was a beautiful morning. During one of the 400m repetitions, I saw that someone put a silver Christmas tree bulb on a branch on the side of Four Mile Run! I smiled. I love small gestures like this that reflect the holiday spirit.
I was happy I hit all my paces. But, my Garmin Recovery Advisor told me I’d need 72 hours to recuperate!
Split paces=7:15, 7:04, 7:12, 7:12 (800m); 6:53, 6:49, 6:46, 6:55, 6:41, 6:49, 6:42, 6:52 (400m).
Race Specific Run. 2 x 3 miles @ marathon pace w/3 minute recovery [Log Details].
What is goal marathon pace this training cycle? I set my Garmin for 7:40-8:00 pace, which translates to a sub-3:30 marathon.
The first set felt hard from the beginning. I was glad I didn’t try to run six miles straight. In fact, I made a mental note of the halfway mark going out so I could give myself a boost on the return trip. After a 3 minute rest near Slater’s Lane, I started the second set. I felt completely spent but I noticed I wasn’t running any slower. Just hang on, I told myself. I was happy about that until, two miles to go, I had some GI distress. Ugh! That spaghetti dinner! I slowed down and the urge eased.
I finished the repetition in Crystal City and jogged over to the new Whole Foods to use the restroom. Since I like to pay emergency pit-stops forward, I’ll try to buy over-priced groceries sometime this week.
I was surprised that goal marathon pace felt so hard, but told myself it was just accumulated fatigue and it would feel easier later. Once again, my Garmin told me it would be 3 days before I fully recovered.
Split paces=7:54, 7:57. Average=7:56.
Long Run. 16 miles easy [Log Details]
It’s Christmas Eve! While my holiday spirit was high when I woke up, the weather dampened it. Outside, it was raining pretty heavily. I waited until mid-morning to head out for my long run. It was warm – 40 degrees – so, I wore my Asics Storm Shelter Jacket and Asics Liner Glove instead of my warmer winter running gear.
I ran on the Mount Vernon Trail and then crossed the 14th Street Bridge into Washington D.C. My goal was to keep my pace in the 8:45-9:00 pace range but I was running much faster. It was as if giving myself permission to run slower made me want to run faster instead. I entered Hains Point and the wind finally slowed me down. I decided to spread some holiday cheer and waved to each car, cyclist, and runner I passed.
Next, I ran a loop around the Tidal Basin before heading back into Virginia. I consciously dropped my pace by checking my Garmin every few minutes and slowing down. Once I reached some hilly stretches closer to home, I knew the pace would take care of itself.
I felt pretty fresh after the run. This is how you want to feel after your long runs, I thought. It’s not always about training harder.
Overall pace=8:47.
Health
Injuries. I had two chiropractic appointments this week. In general, the piriformis pain in my left hip is fine during my runs. However, it was killing me after Thursday’ marathon pace run.
Weight. I ate a lot better this week. I had breakfast with some protein right after my runs, had salad from Sweetgreen for lunch, and alternated pasta or fish for dinner.
Sleep. I pushed my bedtime back to 10pm. I’m sleeping through the night, which is great. But, I woke up a little early a few days this week.
Weather
The week started with air temperatures in the mid-50s! Then, the conditions dropped to 20-40 degree range for the rest of the week. Wind chill made it feel 5-10 degrees colder. Still, I overdressed almost every day. The week ended with cold temperatures and rain.
Racing Schedule
Future races. I forgot to mention last week… I got into the 2017 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler!
Next race: 2016 Fairfax Four Miler on December 31st! (My Complete Racing Schedule.)
