2021 Boston Marathon – Week 5
This week, I only had two workouts – a medium-long run on Sunday and a marathon-pace workout on Thursday. Mostly, I prepared to race and accept that I may not re-qualify for the Boston Marathon. But, one month after having COVID-19 and having to skip the London Marathon, I’m grateful for the opportunity to start. On Friday, my partner and I left Washington, D.C., and made our way to Boston by way of New York City.
Training Schedule
October 3rd – October 9th
Sunday: Easy Run. 6 miles + strides
Monday: Medium-long Run. 13 miles
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Easy Run. 7 miles
Thursday: Marathon-pace Run. 7 miles w/4 miles @ goal marathon pace
Friday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run. 5 miles + strides
Total: ~37 Miles
Notes. On Sunday, I took my boyfriend’s daughter to the track to do some Girls on the Run training so I only ran 4 miles on my own beforehand.
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
Medium-long Run
Last run of any distance of the training cycle! Unfortunately, it was 70 degrees. I wished it was cooler so I could see where my fitness might be on a cooler race day morning.
D.C.-area forecast: Partly sunny and warm today with a shower chance by evening https://t.co/pFDN4jPNXW
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) October 3, 2021
On my way to the Mount Vernon Trail, gave a woman directions to the trail. I followed closely behind her for a while but once we reached our destination, I surged past her. A runner coming at me from the other direction gave me a huge thumbs up and it made me smile. But mostly, I was filled with doubt. Between running and work, my confidence is the lowest it’s been in ages and I just don’t think I can run the time that I need to re-qualify for next year’s Boston Marathon.
At the Custis Trail, I thought about the race and knew I couldn’t give up as much time to the Newton Hills as I have in the past, so I ran this stretch a little harder than usual.
Leaving the trail and running towards Ballston, I started thinking how lucky I’ve been to run so many Boston Marathons and how maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing if I didn’t re-qualify. Maybe, it would open up the opportunity to run other spring races. I thought, maybe it would be good to run my hometown races instead of traveling now that I’m adulting and have a huge mortgage. I also thought about a recent podcast I’d listened to with Jenny Simpson and took solace that if this thing I have with Boston ends, it doesn’t make me less of a runner. But, I also told myself that this thinking doesn’t mean I’m not going to give my everything on race day.
After the run, I came home and consulted every race time predictor I could find. Only a few of them gave me hope that I could meet my marathon goal.
Distance=13.35 miles
Pace=9:26/mile
Marathon-pace Run
Last workout of the training cycle!
I woke up early to do a little packing. I’ve done the same stretch of road as my final marathon-pace workout for years now, so I knew exactly where I wanted to go.
D.C.-area forecast: Cloudy skies dominate through Friday with mild temperatures https://t.co/1RMafw6VbY
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) October 7, 2021
I ran 3 miles to the Custis Trail. The pace was supposed to be easy but my legs were flying through the neighborhood streets at 9:20 pace.
For the marathon-pace segment, I joined the Custis Trail at Washington Boulevard and headed southeast.
Instead of running by feel, I ran my goal pace. It felt hard. I flew by Michael Wardian and his dog (I think it was Rosie and not Bash). About 1 mile in, I met up with the W&OD Trail. Even though the second mile was mostly downhill, the pace still didn’t feel comfortable.
The cool-down was 2 more miles home. During the run, I tried accepting the fact that I might not re-qualify for next year’s Boston Marathon. To soften the blow, I told myself it was impressive that I’ve strung so many of them together – this will be my 8th! Two years after treating my high blood pressure, 8 months after a terrible fall that broke two fingers and banged up my knee, and 1 month after recovering from COVID-19, toeing that starting line is an achievement in and of itself!
Distance=2.00 miles
Pace=8:52/mile
Cross-training
Strides. This week, the only time I did strides was on Saturday after my easy run in Central Park.
Clothing
Shorts. Rabbit Hopper 4″ Short. I tried these on a few weeks ago and then went back. I like the Oiselle Roga Shorts but my skin is so chafed at the waistband that I need to find another brand. The fabric is light and would have been perfect for summer. The 4″ inseam is perfect for me. With shorts, it’s all about pockets and this short has one rear and two small front. While I’m size small in most shorts, I was medium for these. Price: $54.
Media & Motivation
“You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can’t know what’s coming.” – Frank Shorter
— Runner’s World (@runnersworld) August 23, 2015
Websites and blogs. Sullivan’s Elite Entry Leads Local Boston Contingent,” RunWashington. My local running magazine listed all the Washington, DC area runners who were registered for the Boston Marathon. Good luck to us all!
Racing Schedule
Future races. 2021 Boston Marathon. This week, I scheduled the time for my vaccination verification and planned my trip to the expo. It’s really happening!
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.
Runner rankings. Potomac River Running’s Regional Runner Rankings – Fall 2018. I missed the age group rankings (50-54 years old) this time but I plan to be back in them soon! The races that counted were – Roosevelt Island Parkrun 5K #178 on March 31 and the 2021 South Lakes 10K.
Next race: 2021 Boston Marathon on Monday, October 11th. Goal is 3:54:59 (8:59 pace).
