2022 Erie Marathon – Week 1
Training Schedule
May 8th – May 14th
Sunday: Long Run. 12 miles
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Lactate Threshold Run. 9 miles w/4 miles @ LT pace
Wednesday: Recovery Run. 6 miles
Thursday: Recovery Run. 5 miles
Friday: General Aerobic Run. 9 miles
Saturday: Recovery Run. 4 miles
Total: ~45 Miles
Notes. The Pfitz plans begin on a Monday, so for my long run, I repeated the distance from last week. From there, I used the 55 to 70 miles per week plan as my base, however I made Wednesday’s 11-mile medium-long run a 6-mile recovery run. I also cut Saturday’s recovery run by a mile.
Training paces
| Recovery | Long | General Aerobic | Marathon | Lactate Threshold | 5K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No faster than 10:25 | 9:55-10:10 | 9:10-9:45 | 8:40-8:55 | 7:55-8:10 | 7:30-7:40 |
Workouts
Long Run
When I let the dog out into the backyard in the morning, I realized it was colder than I thought it would be. It had been raining for about 36 hours straight, and I was also concerned that the Four Mile Run Trail, which my usual 12-mile course covers, might be flooded. So, I created a new route and hoped for the best.
D.C.-area forecast: A cloudy, brisk Mother’s Day, with sunshine Monday https://t.co/fs36E77lue
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) May 8, 2022
But, before heading off for my first run of the training cycle, I took a selfie.
I was heading towards the W&OD Trail when I noticed the county opened the new town square in Green Valley! On the trail, I headed west and into the wind. I was averaging 9:40 pace, which was a little fast. Four miles later, I continued climbing on the Custis Trail. I realized it had been a long time since I’d run this way and took in the subtle changes in the landscape. I exited the trail in a neighborhood I’ve never been. I marveled that I could live somewhere so long and still discover new places. I wound my way to Clarendon, running uphill again, and thought, That detour was not worth it. Once I was going downhill, my pace dropped under 9:00.
When I reached my neighborhood, I realized the detours I took from my planned route would make the course short. I did a back-and-forth on a side street until my Garmin hit 12 miles and then walked home. Not a bad start to the training cycle.
Distance=12.00 miles
Pace=9:19/mile
Lactate Threshold Run
After a drunk man splayed out next to me on the Metro bus on Monday, I decided my days of sitting on the bus were over. I contemplated a run-commute but couldn’t configure a route that allowed me four miles of continuous running and only 5 miles of warm-up and cool-down.
D.C.-area forecast: Sunny and mild the next two days, but showers later in the week https://t.co/qC1exTb1st
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) May 10, 2022
For my warm-up, I ran north through Ballston to the Custis Trail. I fiddled with my new watch for a moment and then started the threshold run segment. The course was a bit of a cheat because it was downhill.. Still, the pace felt hard from the start. But, I told myself, “These are the workouts you have to do if you’re going to get faster.” As fast as I thought I was running, a man passed me on the W&OD Trail! I detoured to the Four Mile Run Trail at Bluemont Park. Glancing at my watch, I was going a bit too fast. My route was short so I ran on Columbia Pike to the community center before doing a one-mile cool-down home.
Distance=4.00 miles
Pace=8:00/mile
General Aerobic Run
I woke up to the sound of rain pounding the ground. I contemplated whether I’d want to run on the treadmill but decided it was warm enough outside – almost 65 degrees – that I should be able to withstand the conditions.
D.C.-area forecast: Mild today, and warmer this weekend despite clouds and rain chances https://t.co/JlmvXhAHXG
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) May 13, 2022
By the time I left the house, it had stopped raining. From home, I traversed neighborhood streets to Pentagon City. A drizzling rain started as I stepped foot on the Mount Vernon Trail.
I had been running at 9:00 pace but slowed down to 9:30 pace on the Four Mile Run Trail. When I reached the W&OD Trail, I thought about easing up on the pace again but remembered that the entire run was supposed to be at a “general aerobic” pace. Overall, it was a solid run.
Later in the afternoon, I ran 4 miles. My boyfriend and I were going to Massanutten for the weekend, and I didn’t want to run there. It has been years since I’ve done a double!
Distance=9.12 miles
Pace=9:21/mile
Routes
Strava Global Heatmap. Before heading out of town, I checked the Strava Global Heat Map to see if there was an area around Massanutten where I could run. I also used Google Maps to get a more accurate picture of the terrain. In the end, I decided the area was probably too hilly for a run.
Parks. John Robinson, Jr. Town Square. During my long run on Sunday, I passed a new square under construction for some time but opened this weekend. Green Valley is a historically Black neighborhood in south Arlington. The former park wasn’t particularly well-maintained, so it’s good to see such a nice space in this neighborhood. I noticed it has a water fountain! More information on the art installation is available on the county’s website.
My Guide to Washington DC Area Running Routes
Gear
Headphones. Aftershokz Open Run. After over three years of loyal service, my current pair of Aftershokz headphones wouldn’t charge. I bought this newer model, and I think the sound quality is better. I was disappointed that only the Pro model, which is $50 more, works with the app. I would have liked to customize the music settings. Price: $129.95
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Brad Stulberg,” Rich Roll. This episode was a powerful episode from the start. It drove home how I might not know how someone else is struggling. Overall, the episode is about groundedness and having more self-compassion. His take-away advice is to focus on steady progress and consistency over perfectionism and start with things you’ll do or let go of in service of your core values (2:12:15 mark).
My Guide to Media & Motivation
Racing Schedule
Runner rankings. Potomac River Running’s Regional Runner Rankings – Winter 2022. Racing is back in full force in the Washington, DC region, and I’m back in the rankings! I was 28th in my age group. Qualifying races were the 2021 Alexandria Turkey Trot and the 2022 Reston 10 Miler.
Next race: Anacostia Parkrun #150 on Saturday, July 30th. Goal is sub-24:00 (7:42 pace).
