2018 New York City Marathon – Week 8
Despite getting plenty of sleep Sunday night, I felt terrible before Monday morning‘s workout. Doubles showed up in my training schedule and remarkably, I completed a run after work on Wednesday! The summer temperature and humidity relented on Thursday but returned late Saturday morning.
Training Schedule
August 19th – August 25th
Sunday: Recovery Run. 6 miles (AM) + Weight Lifting (PM).
Monday: Medium-long Run. 14 miles.
Tuesday: Recovery Run. 5 miles.
Wednesday: Lactate Threshold Run. 11 miles w/6 miles @ 15K to half marathon race pace.
Thursday: Recovery Runs. 6 miles (AM) + 4 miles (PM).
Friday: Off.
Saturday: Long Run. 20 miles.
Mileage Total: ~66 Miles
Notes. With 22 miles in my legs from Saturday, I nixed weight training on Sunday. Wanting a good lactate threshold run because my last one went so poorly, I also switched Wednesday and Thursday’s workouts for some additional recovery.
Workout Details
Medium Run. 14 miles [Log Details]
I left the house not knowing what workout I was doing. I had a lactate threshold run scheduled but I felt terrible. I paused a mile in and did a gut check. It told me to run a medium distance run instead. At this point in my training, it would be more valuate to have a fast tempo run later in the week. During the warm-up running north to the Custis Trail, I didn’t feel badly but I still felt like I made the right choice. It was a little windy on the Mount Vernon Trail.
I didn’t look at my overall pace until I was about two miles from home – 8:40!
Overall pace=8:47.
Recovery Runs. 6 miles (AM) [Log Details] + 4 miles (PM) [Log Details].
When I woke up, I thought about doing a lactate threshold run but I felt terrible. All I could guess is that my blood pressure was lower than usual (106/71) and it made me feel lethargic. I ran down to the W&OD Trail and went east to the water fountain at the trail head and turned around.
For doubles, I find running after work difficult. But I changed clothes immediately when I arrived home and headed out the door. I felt much better than I did in the morning. I ran out to the W&OD Trail and went west this time.
Overall pace (AM)=10:26. Overall pace (PM)=9:21.
Lactate Threshold Run. 11 miles w/6 miles @ 15K to half marathon race pace. [Log Details].
Even though the run was only 11 miles because I woke up late, I did this run as my commute to work. My office is less than 7 miles away, so I ran south to the Four Mile Trail and then started the lactate threshold segment. I didn’t have a specific pace in mind but thought 8:20 would be great given my last workout. The first two miles felt easy but then I started to struggle. I started to doubt my sub-3:25 goal for the New York City Marathon. If I can’t run lower than 8:00 pace for one mile, how could I do it for 26.2 in a couple of months! But when I finished the tempo segment, I still had a lot of energy.
Lactate threshold segment pace=8:18.
Long Run. 20 miles [Log Details].
It was one of the nicest mornings of the summer – under 70 degrees when I started. My goal was to practice even pacing and I decided to run most of the route around 9:20 pace. I listened to a podcast to keep my effort easy while I ran south to Potomac Yards in Alexandria, Virginia. Unhurried, I drank water and use a porta-potty at a park. I linked up with the Mount Vernon Trail and headed north.
When I reached Roosevelt Island, I stopped again to drink water. My overall pace for the run was 9:14, which was great. And when I hit the Lee Highway uphill to the Custis Trail, I didn’t slow down! My hips hurt a little as I forced them to extend more than usual. I stopped quickly for water at Nelson Street. Restarting, I told myself, “You want to finish feeling like you could run 6 more miles.” Heading to the mostly downhill second, my pace had only slowed to 9:18 and I finished the run feeling great.
Overall pace=9:10.
Cross Training
With 22 miles in my legs from Saturday, I nixed weight training on Sunday. But after Saturday’s long run, I worked my tired legs with the the foam roller and The Stick.
Health
Sleep. After last Saturday’s 22 miler, I took a Tylenol PM to make sure I got adequate sleep. From then on, I got about 7 hours a night, which didn’t feel like enough.
Weight. My work schedule freed up and I used the opportunity to have calorie-dense restaurant lunches with friends and colleagues instead of salads.
Weather
The week started with morning temperatures in the low 70s and dew points under 70! Summer relented completely on Thursday but returned by the end of my long run on Saturday.
Racing Schedule
Next race: 2018 Navy Air Force Half Marathon on Sunday, September 16th. When I realized this race is only three weeks away, I felt anxious. I don’t feel particularly race-ready. (My Complete Racing Schedule.)
