2021 Boston Marathon – Week 3
My training was locked in this week. I ran a solid 18 miler on Sunday, a Yasso 800 workout on Tuesday (that suggested I might be able to my 2022 Boston Marathon qualifying time) and a medium-long run on Thursday.
Training Schedule
September 19th – September 25th
Sunday: Long Run. 18 miles
Monday: Easy Run. 5 miles + strides
Tuesday: Interval Run. 8 x 800m @ 5K-10K pace w/equal recovery time jog (Yasso 800s)
Wednesday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Thursday: Medium Run. 14 miles
Friday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Total: ~60 Miles
Notes. I couldn’t quite make it to 14 miles on Thursday but otherwise, followed the schedule to a tee.
Training paces
| Recovery | Easy | Marathon | Threshold | Repetition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No faster than 10:45 | 9:45-10:45 | 8:55–9:20 | 8:30-8:55 | 7:30 – 7:40 (5K) |
Workouts
Long Run
The day before, my boyfriend and I had two social engagements, so I was a bit worried about being overly tired. I left the house at 8 a.m. anticipating it would take me about the same amount of time as my last 18-miler.
It was about 72 degrees outside – the same temperature when I tried this run last.
D.C.-area forecast: Warm but somewhat refreshing today; temperatures trending lower tomorrow https://t.co/eggBSdIj1I
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) September 19, 2021
From home, I headed over to the W&OD Trail and then quickly cut over to the Four Mile Run Trail. I ran with a smile on my face, appreciating that I felt healthy again. My tranquility was spoiled, however, when a bicyclist yelled at a man walking his dog on a slack leash. For those first five miles, I averaged 9:30 pace.
Running up the Mount Vernon Trail, I stopped near National Airport for water but I didn’t linger for long. I wanted to test my endurance on this run. At Gravelly Point, a woman running behind me with a dog became a distraction and I pulled off the trail. “You can’t let things like that get to you.” At Roosevelt Island, I stopped for water again. By then, my overall pace was in the 9:20s.
Next up: the Custis Trail. Normally, I shuffle up the long, steep section on Lee Highway but today my legs turned over pretty well on it. At the water fountain 10 miles in, I stopped to guzzle water. The heat was getting to me a little. I also finished a Gu Energy Gel (Smores). I had been running with just my thoughts but finally turned on some music.
Finally, I cruised down the W&OD Trail at 9:10 pace, which felt hard but rewarding!
I was very happy with the pace of the run. I still felt apprehensive about covering 26.2 miles but those concerns are gradually floating away.
Distance=18.00 miles
Pace=9:37/mile
Interval Run
As marathon day comes closer, I’m becoming more anxious about what I might be able to run. I decided to do a Yasso 800s workout to get a general sense (even though I know some say it’s not an accurate predictor.)
When I left the house, the temperature was in the upper 60s!
D.C.-area forecast: Warm with considerable clouds today; some rain on the way for Wednesday into Thursday https://t.co/apb5Ac0xt7
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) September 21, 2021
During my warm-up jog to Wakefield High School Track, I found $6 on the ground! I thought that had to be good luck. There were a few other runners at the track but it certainly wasn’t busy. For the first set, I checked my pace constantly to make sure I was within desired range but then, I started running by feel and blocked out every distraction. It led to one or two slow repetitions but for the most part, I ran my desired pace intuitively.
I averaged 3:48 for the 800s segments. Even if I add 5 minutes, that still suggests maybe I could run 3:53, which gives me some hope of hitting my 2022 Boston Marathon qualifying time.
| Distance | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 800m (time) | 3:47 | 3:49 | 3:50 | 3:46 |
| Set 5 | Set 6 | Set 7 | Set 8 | |
| 3:52 | 3:49 | 3:50 | 3:44 |
Distance=6.20 miles
Pace=9:41/mile
Medium Run
It was a rainy morning so I waited until 7 a.m., when the showers were light, to leave the house.
D.C.-area forecast: Heavy morning storms and flood risk today before clearing late https://t.co/CHhKxYpJOx
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) September 23, 2021
From home, I ran about a mile before crossing over Route 50 and joining the Arlington Boulevard Trail. My legs felt pretty fresh running in the cooler weather. By the time I reached Rosslyn, I was running sub-9:00 pace. I made my way to the Mount Vernon Trail. Over the next 5 miles, I found myself running my goal marathon pace! It didn’t feel easy but it didn’t feel particularly hard either. But, when I rounded the curve to the Four Mile Run Trail, as usual, my pace slowed significantly. For that segment, my pace hovered around 9:45 pace. In Shirlington, I connected to the W&OD Trail and my pace fell to just under 10:30. I stopped the run a little short deciding it was better to end on a good note than struggle up the steep hills leading home.
It was a nice run but left me confused. I can hold marathon pace for a while. I just don’t know if I can hold it for 26.2 miles.
Distance=13.71 miles
Pace=9:21/mile
Cross-training
Strides. This week, I did strides twice, on Wednesday and Fridays at Thomas Jefferson Community Center.
Clothing
Shoes. Asics Gel Nimbus Lite 2. Looking ahead to the 2021 Boston Marathon, I wasn’t sure what I was doing for shoes. The recent versions of the Mizuno Wave Riders have left me unimpressed. I decided to purchase another pair so the Gel Nimbus Lite as a possible race-day shoe. The ride is a little soft, but it’s a comfortable shoe that might not beat my legs up as much as the Wave Riders have been. Price: $150.00.
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Episode 424: Dave McGillivray, Boston Marathon Race Director,” Ali on the Run. In this episode, the guest was the host of this iconic race. He talked about how the goal for 2021 was to keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic by limiting the number of competitors and keeping people apart. On that second point, the biggest change to this year’s race will be a rolling start. (19:20 minute mark). One of my favorite moments was at the end when he described himself as a caretaker of the race. (He also seems to think Eliud Kipchoge is the greatest marathoner of all time – “the GOAT.”)
News. “Marine Corps Marathon Cancels 2021 In-Person Races,” RunWashington. This was big news and a local running news outlet broke it. I will miss my annual tradition of cheering for the runners in Crystal City.
Racing Schedule
Future races. 2021 London Marathon. On Wednesday, the race emailed out bib numbers and the next day, I received invitations to events for the Wanda Age Group World Championships. Both filled me with regret and a little bitterness that I was missing the race.
On Thursday, I posted on the Wanda Facebook page asking if anyone knew whether I could have a friend pick up my swag. No one from the organization responded but a few runners pointed out it probably wouldn’t be possible due to the way the race was having runners drop off their kit at the expo, putting shirts and medals in that bag, and then giving the bag back to the runners at the finish line.
Runner rankings. RunWashington’s DMV Distance Derby. My best times are:
- Teddy Roosevelt Island (1.4 miles): 10:08 (7:38 pace) on May 12, 2020.
- Custis Climb – Key Bridge to Glebe (3.1 miles): 25:47 (8:47 pace) on October 6, 2020.
- Hains Point (2.5 miles): 20:37 (8:13 pace) on November 26, 2020.
Next race: 2021 Boston Marathon on Monday, October 11th. Goal is 3:54:59 (8:59 pace).
