2019 New York City Marathon – Week 13
Another taper week as I got ready for the 2019 New York City Marathon! Unfortunately, I cut my last distance run short for fear of hitting a wall of exhaustion again. But, the other workouts of the week went well.
Training Schedule
October 27th – November 2nd
Sunday: Medium-long Run. 13 miles
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Recovery Run. 7 miles
Wednesday: Dress Rehearsal. 7 miles w/2 miles @ marathon race pace
Thursday: Recovery Run. 5 miles
Friday: Recovery Run. 5 miles w/6 x 100m strides
Saturday: Recovery Run. 4 miles
Total: 41 miles
Notes. I cut my medium run short after fearing another incident of feeling light-headed. I made up the mileage on Monday and took Thursday off instead.
Workouts
Medium-long Run. 13 miles [Log Details, pt. 1] [Log Details, pt. 2].
It was already raining when I woke up and the forecast didn’t show any clearing. It was also Marine Corps Marathon day, so from home, I ran over to Crystal City to see the runners. Confused to see a Mile 22 marker this early in the race, I realized I was witnessing the 10K. I clapped for runners on my way to the Mount Vernon Trail anyway.
From the rail-trail, I ran north to Gravelly Point and got under 9:00 pace for a little bit. After 4 miles, I didn’t feel like I hit the wall but I became very afraid that I might and there weren’t many people on the trail. So, I decided to walk back to Crystal City rather than continuing 3 miles to the Custis Trail in Rosslyn.
On the way back, I had some really raw thoughts about how, although not wanting to die is rational, what’s going on with me is likely mental.
Back in Crystal City, I ran 3 miles home very easy for a total of just over 7 miles for the day. By then, heading back out to cheer for the marathoners was out of the question. I didn’t have the stomach to encourage other runners when I felt so discouraged myself.
Now that’s a water point! Tweet your wettest @Marine_Marathon pics. 🌧 🏃🏽♀️ 📸 #runwiththemarines pic.twitter.com/w5P3dtHEgy
— Marine Marathon (@Marine_Marathon) October 30, 2019
The next day, I ran 6 miles for a total of 13 miles over the course of two days.
Overall pace=9:38.
Dress Rehearsal. 7 miles w/2 miles @ marathon race pace [Log Details].
This would be my last workout before the 2019 New York City Marathon! I did it as my commute because I had an 8:30am training class at work.
I ran a little more than 2 miles down to the Four Mile Run Trail and started the workout. My marathon goal was sub-3:38 (8:20 pace), which is a guaranteed time qualifying time for the 2020 New York City Marathon. The first mile was fast – just over 8:00 pace – but comfortable. I asked, “Could I really run the marathon this fast?” Maybe the early miles but this didn’t feel like Bronx-pace. I continued up the Mount Vernon Trail thinking I slowed down for the second repetition but it was just as fast! I ended the workout right before crossing the 14th Street Bridge into Washington, DC.
That night (Wednesday), I stayed up late and watched the Washington Nationals win the World Series!
We never stopped believing.
We never stopped dancing.
We STAYED IN THE FIGHT.
We FINISHED THE FIGHT.
And now, we’re forever WORLD. SERIES. CHAMPIONS.#STAYINTHEFIGHT pic.twitter.com/7WqNfrDBO9
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) October 31, 2019
Goal marathon pace splits=8:08, 8:06. Average=8:08.
Recovery Run. 5 miles w/6 x 100m strides [Log Details, pt. 1] [Log Details, pt. 2].
While not a workout, I like to have a good last run on my home turf before traveling for a marathon! On this day, I started by heading down to the Four Mile Run Trail. When I checked my Garmin, I was surprised to see I was close to 8:00 pace. “That’s way too fast for an easy run,” I thought. I slowed down a bit and enjoyed scenes of the stream.
My mind was filled with doubt about the race – I hadn’t run any tune-up races on roads so I wasn’t sure what to expect. But, I worked on my game face. “I come from a city of champions!” I ran strides on the W&OD Trail, though and then headed home.
Overall pace=8:47.
Gear
Headlamps. Petzl Tikka Plus LED Headlamp and Nathan StrobeLight LED Clip. It’s dark out in the mornings recently. In these conditions, I like to wear this headlamp to help me see the road ahead, and this miniature light in the strobe setting so that cyclists and cars see me out on the roads and trails.
Body wipes. Epic Wipes. These wipes are relationship saviors. When I ran into work on Wednesday, I only arrived with 15 minutes to spare and didn’t have time to shower. These generously sized wipes allowed me to freshen up.
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Episode 154: An Ode to Shalane, 10 Training Lessons from Her Career,” Running Rogue. Shalane Flanagan announced her retirement from professional running last week and in this episode, the host honored her racing career by explaining how all runners could learn from her: 1) patience, 2) professionalism, 3) high mileage, 4) balanced diet, 5) group training, 6) ability not to compare herself to others, 7) return to speed work after marathon training cycles, 8) success after coming back from injuries, 9) relentlessness, and 10) dedication to ordinary workouts.
Racing Schedule
Next race: 2019 New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 3rd!
(My Racing Schedule)
