2018 Boston Marathon – Week 9
It was a tough week! My schedule didn’t have any easy days but I created one by taking Thursday off. My time from the Shamrock Half Marathon on Sunday and interval workout on Friday were both good indicators that I’m probably in low 3:30 shape for the Boston Marathon.
Training Schedule
March 18th – March 24th
Sunday: Shamrock Half Marathon.
Monday: Recovery Runs. 6 miles (AM) + Recovery Run. 4 miles (PM).
Tuesday: General Aerobic Run. 9 miles.
Wednesday: VO2Max Run. 11 miles w/6x1000m @ 5K race pace.
Thursday: Medium-long Run. 15 miles.
Friday: General Aerobic Run + Speed. 10 miles
Saturday: General Aerobic Run + Speed. 8 miles w/6x100m strides.
Mileage Total: ~76 Miles
Notes. I ran my medium run on Wednesday due to an incoming snow storm. Then, I took Thursday off and did my interval workout on Friday. Other minor changes included switching the order of my doubles on Monday and skipping the strides on Saturday.
Workout Details
Shamrock Half Marathon [Race Report].
I had a pretty disappointing week before the race – I only ran one hard workout, so I didn’t know what to expect. I struggled to run sub-8:00 pace in the early miles running into the wind, even when the course went downhill. But, I managed to speed up after the mid-way point.
I finished in 1:43:27 (7:54 pace), which could indicate a 3:32 (8:06 pace) finish for the 2018 Boston Marathon according to the VDOT Tables in Daniels Running Formula
The race was a lot of fun and the course was completely flat. I would definitely run it again but plan to stay over-night Sunday due to the long, traffic filled drive home.
Overall pace=7:54.
General Aerobic Run. 9 miles [Log Details].
I knew I’d been running these general aerobic runs too fast and vowed to keep this one around 8:40 pace. It was raining hard from the start with strong winds. I didn’t see any other runners and wondered if I was crazy to run in these conditions. But, I ran one of my favorite routes through Crystal City to the Mount Vernon and Four Mile Run trails. Towards the end of my run, my hands were so cold in water-logged gloves that I actually thought about stopping and hopping on a bus. But, I powered through and finished!
Overall pace=8:40.
Medium-long Run. 15 miles [Log Details].
The first snow storm of the season arrived on Wednesday! The front began as cold rain so I started my run when the drizzle started flaking up.
I headed north on the Mount Vernon Trail for the early miles. I thought it might be slippery – particularly on the concrete bridges near National Airport – but the conditions were fine for easy running. It was cold and windy, though! Wind chills made it feel like the low 20s and winds were blowing over 10 miles per hour.
I used the Custis Trail to hook up with the W&OD Trail. By then, the asphalt was covered in thick slush.
I ran in pretty miserable conditions two days in a row! On the uphill home, I thought, “Remember these past two days during Boston.”
Overall pace=9:25.
Interval Run. 11 miles w/6x1000m @ 5K race pace [Log Details].
I took Thursday off so I thought I should be well-rested for this workout. During the warm-up, I thought it would be nice if I could get the repetitions under 7:00 pace. I managed to go under that for the first two, running east and south with the wind at my back. But, I struggled to meet that goal when I ran north and west into the wind. I thought I ran well, though. I checked the VDOT tables in Daniels Running Formula and 4:19 average was another indicator that I’m probably in low-3:30 marathon shape.
1000m paces=6:52, 6:52, 7:02, 6:48, 7:05, 7:22. Average=7:00.
General Aerobic Run + Speed. 8 miles w/6x100m strides [Log Details].
I waited until late in the morning to start this run. I made sure to keep the pace easy enough that I wouldn’t be tired for my last 20 miler of this training cycle the next day!
I ran a different route than usual, opting to avoid some hills. I realized there wasn’t a good place for doing drills, so I skipped them.
Overall pace=8:43.
Health
Injuries. Another pain-free week! I had some delayed muscle fatigue days after the 2018 Shamrock Half Marathon but that was about it.
Sleep. I didn’t wear my Garmin to bed consistently this week. I woke up early Wednesday morning and couldn’t get back to sleep. Strangely, I slept well Thursday night even though I knew I was going to have a busy workday on Friday.
Weight. After another high mileage week, my weight has consistently stayed below 130 pounds.
Weather
The weather turned foul this week! I ran in freezing rain for my run on Tuesday morning. It snowed on Wednesday morning but it fell late enough that I got my run in. By the next day, it had melted.
Racing Schedule
Future races. I’d been so busy that I hadn’t booked my plane ticket to Boston! On Thursday night, I checked times and fares but wasn’t ready to commit to any of them.
Next race: 2018 Boston Marathon on Monday, April 16th. (My Complete Racing Schedule.)
