2019 New York City Marathon – Week 5
It was Labor Day on Monday and I could have moved my workouts around a bit to take advantage of the extra time but I still took the day off. My sleep was terrible this week as I adjusted back to East Coast time. I ended the week with a relatively fast long run, though!
Training Schedule
September 1st – September 7th
Sunday: Medium-long Run. 10-12 miles
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Easy Run. 10 miles
Wednesday: Recovery Run. 5-6 miles
Thursday: Medium-long Run. 12 miles w/6 @ goal marathon pace
Friday: Recovery Run. 5-6 miles
Saturday: Long Run. 16 miles
Total: 58-62 miles.
Notes. Running 12 miles on Sunday was probably too much. But, I was able to complete the other workouts well. My long run was shorter than it has been in recent weeks but my goal was to run it faster.
Workouts
Medium-long Run. 12 miles [Log Details].
I hadn’t slept well since returning home from Athens and woke up at around 3:30am. Still, I wanted to get some good mileage in after my 17 miler the day before. It was mid-70 degrees at the start, which actually felt refreshing. From home, I ran north to Clarendon and then downhill to Rosslyn. Initially, I was running close to 9:00 pace. Readying myself for the iTunes media player’s demise, I moved my running playlists to Spotify that morning. Editing those recordings became my excuse for taking breaks during the run. I hadn’t carried a handheld water bottle, so I stopped for water at Nelson Street. My right ankle was sore and I thought, “I’ve run 30 miles and two days!” But then, “The 50 miler means running 20 more!” By the end, even my arms were tired! Realizing my route would be over 12 miles, I ran walked the last 1.5 miles home. My Garmin said I was “overreaching”.
Overall pace=9:58.
Medium Run. 12 miles w/6 @ goal marathon pace [Log Details].
I had a strong 10 miler two days before, running 9:08 pace but felt well-rested. I was expecting temperatures in the low 70s but it was slightly warmer. I wanted to actually run some miles close to goal marathon pace, which is 8:20 (3:38 marathon). I set the range on my Garmin for 8:20 to 8:40 – about 20 seconds/mile slower to account for the heat.
From home, I ran a three mile warm-up over to the Mount Vernon Trail for an out-and-back. During the “out”, I was able to hit my goal pace fairly easily. There was a slight breeze and at points I actually smiled at how comfortable it felt outside. On the first return mile, I told myself 8:40 pace would be alright but even though I felt I was running slower, my time didn’t. It was a perfectly paced workout!
Goal marathon pace segment=8:30, 8:24, 8:21, 8:18, 8:26, 8:11. Overall pace=8:22.
Long Run. 16 miles [Log Details].
After running 18 miles last week, I cut back the mileage for this week’s long run but added some speed. It was 65 degrees but without a cloud in the sky when I started the run. Realizing it was after Labor Day, I thought most of the tourists should be gone and it was safe to run downtown again! From my house, I stopped for water in Crystal City and then dropped down to sub-9:00 pace running north on the the Mount Vernon Trail. After crossing the 14th Street Bridge, I stopped for water again at the Jefferson Memorial before heading into Hains Point where I ran a consistent 8:35 pace.
Leaving Hains Point, I did a loop around the Tidal Basin. I took a quick bathroom break at the facilities and switched to my Best of Flo Rida playlist to get me through the rest of the run.
At the Martin Luther King Jr. and Jefferson memorials, I stopped for water and caught my breath before heading back over the 14th Street Bridge. During the cool-down in Crystal City, I was bent over catching my breath. This was a hard effort for me!
Overall pace=8:53.
Clothing
Shorts. Oiselle Mac Toolbelt Roga Short. This version of Oiselle’s classic short (that I bought in mid-June) has a pocket that spans the entire waistband, which is great for carrying cards, gels, or even a small smartphone for those who wouldn’t find that irritating. The fit is near perfect on me with adequate coverage in the rear. The short’s fabric is a little heavier than I’d prefer but it’s still very comfortable. The only downside is a tag on the back of the shorts that caused chaffing but it was easy to cut out. Price: $60.
Media & Motivation
Spectating. Arlington Police, Fire & Sheriff 9/11 Memorial 5K. On Saturday night, I cheered for runners at this local 5K. (More cowbell!) I was proud to learn after the race that two runners – my boyfriend and a longtime friend – both ran up the last hill because they didn’t want me to see them walking.
Racing Schedule
Future races. This week, I focused a bit on the two teams I’m organizing for 2019 Ragnar Sunset Washington DC. Instead of a van, each team will have a 10’x10′ “camp site”, so I started gathering practical and whimsical items for our space.
Next race: 2019 Ragnar Sunset Washington DC on Saturday, September 21st.
(My Racing Schedule)
