2021 London Marathon – Week 11
After running the Roosevelt Island DC Parkrun the day before, I skipped my long run on Sunday and decided to just pick up where I left off with speed-work on Tuesday. Otherwise, it was an uneventful week as I continued watching COVID-19 rates in the UK.
Training Schedule
July 25th – July 31st
Sunday: Long Run. 18 miles
Monday: Easy Run. 5 miles + strides
Tuesday: Interval Run. 7 x 600m @ 5K-10K pace w/400m recovery jog
Wednesday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Thursday: Marathon-pace Run. 12 miles w/8 miles @ goal marathon pace
Friday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Total: ~58 Miles
Notes. After running the Roosevelt Island DC Parkrun the day before, I skipped my long run for the week. (And, I adjusted my goal training pace for 5K speed.) Once again, I pushed the distance of my medium run up to 13 miles.
Training paces
| Recovery | Easy | Marathon | Threshold | Repetition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No faster than 10:15 | 9:45-10:15 | 8:55–9:20 | 8:30-8:55 | 7:40 – 7:50 (5K) |
Workouts
Interval Run
On Saturday, in addition to the Roosevelt Island DC Parkrun, my boyfriend and I went to Bands and Brews in Ballston that evening. Between the two events, I wasn’t in any shape for a long run on Sunday. Rather than make up the long run on Monday, I decided to just pick up my schedule on Tuesday.
The last time I did 600m repeats was during Week 8. I did six sets and averaged 7:35 pace. Today, I would try adding one more set.
D.C.-area forecast: Hot again today with late-week relief on the way https://t.co/L7TwprrXXG
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) July 27, 2021
For the warm-up, I ran up the W&OD Trail to Bluemont Park, which has been my custom this summer. I put on my Fast Runs playlist from Spotify and took off. Going out on the trail, which is slightly uphill, I was surprised to see my pace well under 8:00. I turned around during the recovery of the third repetition near the Brandymore Castle historical marker and prepared for even faster splits.
Once again, my splits averaged 7:35 but this workout felt very easy.
| Distance | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 600m (pace) | 7:49 | 7:44 | 7:46 |
| Set 4 | Set 5 | Set 6 | Set 7 |
| 7:30 | 7:26 | 7:24 | 7:24 |
Distance=4.34 miles
Pace=8:42/mile
Medium Run
Once again, I got a late start out the door – 7:30 am. By then, it was already 74 degrees out. I decided to just keep things simple and run the same route that I did last week.
D.C.-area forecast: Steamy with chance of severe late-day storms; cool front lowers humidity Friday https://t.co/jM2PT1IQDR
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) July 29, 2021
From home, I ran through my neighborhood to Crystal City. Last week, I ran about 9:25 pace on the Mount Vernon Trail, so I was a little disappointed that I only did 9:50 pace this time.
At Roosevelt Island, I drank some water and ate a Gu Energy Gel (Toasted Marshmallow). Next, I climbed the Custis Trail. Down the road a bit, I ran past a friend who coaches a runner who is training for the 2021 Boston Marathon! We exchanged a few words but we were both anxious to continue our workouts. Back running again, I continued on the rolling hills before exiting the trail in the Ballston/Virginia Square neighborhood and enjoyed a nice downhill home.
Distance=13.41 miles
Pace=9:46/mile
Cross-training
Strides. On Monday, I did strides at Thomas Jefferson Community Center.
Routes
Parks. Mosaic Park. I took a detour during one of my easy runs and found myself running along this new park in the Ballston neighborhood of Northern Virginia. I was happy to see there were two working water fountains!
My Guide to Washington D.C. Area Running Routes
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Episode 168: Alison Desir,” The Morning Shakeout. Last summer, I was introduced to Alison Desir and looked forward to hearing more from her. My favorite part of this interview was when she talked about starting Harlem Run (41:30 mark). She was so inspiring that I contemplated whether I should start a running club in my neighborhood!
News. “How Speed and Distance Dictate How Olympians Run,” New York Times. This article made the rounds on running-related social media. (The graphics associated with the article were very cool!) Generally, I avoid trying to apply anything from a study done on elite athletes but I thought the part about distance runners keeping their knee lower to the ground could be helpful for recreational runners.
Racing Schedule
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 South Lakes 10K on Sunday, August 29th. Goal is sub-52:00 (8:20 pace).
