2023 New York City Marathon – Week 11
Training Schedule
September 10th – September 16th
Sunday: 2023 George Washington Patriot Run
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Speed Run. 6 x 1 mile w/400m recoveries
Wednesday: Easy Run. 8 miles
Thursday: Threshold Run. 8 miles @ marathon pace
Friday: Easy Run. 7 miles
Saturday: Easy Run. 8 miles
Total: ~56 Miles
Notes. In the Hanson Marathon Method, Week 11 starts with a 10-miler, which I did as a race. I did an easy run on the treadmill on Monday instead of taking the day off. Instead of speed, from now on, Tuesday’s workouts will be strength sessions. It is also the last week where marathon pace workouts are only eight miles.
Training paces
| Recovery | Easy | Long | Marathon | Strength | 5K-10K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No faster than 11:15 | 10:00-10:40 | 9:30-9:50 | 8:45-9:05 | 8:30-8:50 | 7:40-8:00 |
Workouts
2023 George Washington Patriot Run
On race day, I got out of bed by 5 o’clock. I started a bagel, put some coffee in a thermos, and was out the door by 5:30 a.m.
I caught a shuttle bus to Mount Vernon at around 6:00 a.m. It rained during the ride and I wondered if it would be a miserable race. Inside the visitor’s center, I got my bib and shirt. I checked the latter and then used the port-a-potty before heading out for a one-mile warm-up.
At the race start,, the temperature at National Airport was low 70 degrees. It was also raining.
The course started downhill, and the pack took full advantage. I avoided looking at my Garmin for a few minutes and enjoyed my music, By the second mile, I was settling in. I saw a mile marker and hit the lap button on my Garmin. When I saw 7-something, I knew I had blown the race or the placard was misplaced. My Garmin said my overall pace was 8:20, so I breathed a sigh of relief. By Mile 3, the course went significantly uphill. I purposely slowed down, but it still felt too hard. During Mile 4, the song I wanted to hear at the turnaround, “Good Time, Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen,” started playing too early. I continued running for a while and paused the music. I estimated I was at least two minutes behind my goal pace.
At the turnaround, I started my music again. With “I Like It Like That” blaring in my ears, I picked up the pace as the course headed downhill. Soon, I was cruising past runners powering past me just moments ago. I returned to my goal race pace for about a half mile before the hills were back. By Mile 8, I noticed my breathing was becoming labored. And between the rain, humidity, and sweat, I was soaked. I slowed my pace a bit to ensure I could finish the race. The last mile was almost entirely uphill. We arrived at Mount Vernon Circle, where we had started. Instead of staying straight, we were directed left to another part of the grounds. The ground flattened out. The finish line was next to a field area called the Bowling Green on the Mount Vernon estate.
The race was disappointing, but it’s hard for me to figure out what to do with it. It’s still hot, so I don’t want to put too much into it, but my fitness isn’t great right now.
Distance=10.00 miles
Pace=9:01/mile
Speed Run
For Week 11 of the Hansons Marathon Method, Tuesday’s “speed” workouts switch to “strength”. Before leaving the house, I consulted the book to ensure I understood what “strength” pace should be. According to the charts, if my marathon goal is sub-3:43, I would want to run these at 8:20 pace.
If weather forecasts were correct, this would be my last humid morning run!
I ran a fast warm-up to Four Mile Run Trail on the W&OD Trail. I wore my new Vaporflys and attributed the speediness to them.
I held back on the first repetition, unsure how much I’d recovered from Sunday’s race. I pushed harder on the second. As I turned north onto the Mount Vernon Trail, I noticed my pace was around 8:40! I hit the lap button when it should have been a mile but was unsure if I was slow or had mismeasured. The next repetition was faster, so I felt content that my Garmin had been off. I turned around before Gravelly Point, and it was pretty much the same from there – inconsistent splits. But I finished with a smile because it wasn’t a bad workout overall.
1 mile/400m: 8:31/2:44 (set 1), 8:41/2:46 (set 2), 8:18/2:47 (set 3), 8:33/2:37 (set 4), 8:21/3:07 (set 5), 8:41/2:34 (set 6).
Average 1 mile=8:31 (8:31 pace)
Distance=7.53 miles
Pace=8:59/mile
Threshold Run
I felt tired but made it out the door before 7 a.m. The temperature was a very comfortable 65 degrees.
My warm-up on the W&OD Trail to Shirlington was a little slower than usual, which I should have taken as a sign, but I went ahead and started the marathon pace workout when I reached the Four Mile Run Trail.
The first two miles were good – around 8:50 pace. But after I turned north on the Mount Vernon Trail, I could feel my legs giving out on me. I decided to turn around at National Airport. The next mile wasn’t terrible, but I finished the fourth in 9:24 – significantly off pace.
I did a run-walk home for about 3 miles. Disappointing, but it was a hard week.
Distance=4.00 miles
Pace=9:00/mile
Health
Injuries. Left Knee. My knee still hurts – mostly during speed workouts. It comes on sharp but then fades after a few strides, so I’m not particularly worried about it.
Clothing
Shoes. Nike Vaporfly 3. I thought it was time to replace my “cheater shoes” pair, as they had reached 200 miles. The Vaporfly 3 felt lighter than the Vaporfly 2s, which is a negative for me. They also felt a little big, but my toes were exactly where they should be. I probably need to run in them a few more times to decide whether I like them or not, though. Price: $250
Media and Motivation
2024 Boston Marathon. On Monday, I registered for the 2024 Boston Marathon using my time from last year’s race – 3:49:36. Days later, the race reported a record number of registrants.
So, what would I run if I don’t get in? Right now, I’m thinking:
- Two Rivers Marathon. My boyfriend and I planned to stay at Woodloch Lodge after the Boston Marathon. This race is about 30 minutes away from that resort.
- Shamrock Marathon. I’ve run the half marathon before and know it’s a fairly flat course.
- Eugene Marathon. I’ve done it before and would love an excuse to do it again.
Unfortunately, registration for Big Sur already passed, but it’s another one I’d like to run someday.
Racing Schedule
Next race
2023 Army Ten Miler, Sunday, October 8th. Goal is 1:20:00 (8:00 pace).
Future races
2023 New York City Marathon, Sunday, November 5th. Goal is 3:44:00 (8:33 pace).
My Guide to the New York City Marathon
