2018 New York City Marathon – Week 10
This was the hottest week of the summer! Gauging how far or fast I ran was hard because I ran most workouts on the treadmill. Worry set in after I realized that I didn’t have a qualifying time for next year’s New York City Marathon.
Training Schedule
September 2nd – September 8th
Sunday: Recovery Run. 6 miles (AM) + Weight Lifting (PM).
Monday: Medium-long Run. 11 miles.
Tuesday: General Aerobic Run + Speed. 8 miles w/10 x 100m strides.
Wednesday: VO2Max Run. 9 miles w/6 x 800m @ 5K race pace.
Thursday: General Aerobic Run. 9 miles.
Friday: Off.
Saturday: Long Run. 22 miles.
Mileage Total: ~65 Miles
Notes. In Pfitzinger Advanced Marathoning, this was a cut-back week before starting the race preparation cycle. But, with a race scheduled for next weekend, I moved the 22 miler slated for next weekend to this Saturday.
Workout Details
Medium-long Run. 11 miles. [Log Details]
I woke up to 80 degree weather and knew this would be a treadmill run. Three weeks ago, it took me 1 hour and 38 minutes to complete an 11 miler, so my goal was to run for that amount of time.
During the first hour, I ran the first two miles (by Garmin) easy – less than the 6.0 setting – and then steadily increased the pace to 6.0. I worked at relaxing my hips and striding out now that weather and terrain wasn’t a factor.
After a break, I thought about my race goals and how slowly I’ve been running this summer. It fueled me to run faster and I increased the treadmill setting to 6.6. I was so excited thinking that in a few weeks, I’d be running the New York City Marathon! By the end of the run, there was so much sweat on the treadmill belt that I almost slipped!
Overall pace=~9:01?
VO2Max Run. 9 miles w/6 x 800m @ 5K race pace [Log Details].
Ideally, I would have done the intervals on the roads but it was another 80 degree morning, so I went to the gym for a treadmill run.
The last time I did this workout, each 800m took 3 minutes and 30 seconds. For this workout, I ran the repetitions for the same amount of time and set the treadmill at 8.0 (7:30 pace). Hilariously, my Garmin said I was pounding out 6:20 pace! I took 2 minutes and 45 second rests for the set.
It’s been a while since I’ve done speed work and the workout felt great!
800m repetitions=~7:00 pace?
Long Run. 22 miles [Log Details].
Pfitzinger writes that if a runner does their long run in the intensity ranges he prescribes, a 22-mile run will take approximately the same amount of time as your marathon. I hoped I could finish this run it around 3 hours and 25 minutes as a confidence booster.
It was about 75 degrees at the start of my run but according to the forecast, the weather was actually going to get cooler as rain moved into the region. I headed east towards the Four Mile Trail, though the south part of Arlington. I stopped for water at the W&OD Trail head and ate my first Crank Sport e-Gel after only 30 minutes of running. Then, I took a bathroom break at Potomac Yards, so it was a leisurely start. At National Airport, I stopped and drank some Gatorade. Two miles later, I stopped at Gravelly Point and finished the 12 ounce bottle.
By then, the wind had picked up but the cool air felt so refreshing that I was smiling! I started a second gel on my way to the Roosevelt Island water fountain. There, I ran into a co-worker and we chatted while I re-hydrated. Restarting on the Custis Trail, I stopped quickly at Nelson Street and downed my last gel. Reaching the W&OD Trail, I picked up the pace for a couple of miles before my cool-down home.
Total time=3:16:11 . Overall pace=8:57.
Cross Training
I met a friend for lunch after Sunday’s easy run and got to the gym late on Sunday. Still, I did my usual exercises: seated cable rows, lateral pull-down, stiff-legged dead-lifts, upright rows, shoulder presses, dumbbell curls, tricep presses, leg presses, and chest presses.
Health
Injuries. After several days of treadmill running, I noticed some pain in both calf muscles and my right foot.
Sleep. With the exception of Monday night, I slept better than usual but it didn’t feel like enough. Friday’s rest day couldn’t come soon enough!
Weather
This was the hottest week of the summer! National Airport set a record for warmest low temperature on Thursday. But, a storm rolled in on Friday evening and cooled things down for my long run on Saturday.
Racing Schedule
Future races. It dawned on me this week that I don’t have a qualifying time for next year’s New York City Marathon! I was two minutes short at the 2018 Shamrock Half Marathon and a half hour off at the 2018 Boston Marathon… I may change my goal for this year’s race to sub-3:38:00 (8:20 pace) just to make sure I get into next year’s race.
Next race: 2018 Navy Air Force Half Marathon on Sunday, September 16th. (My Complete Racing Schedule.)
