Summer of 2019 – Week 3

The weather turned hot and humid just in time for my next mileage increase and an attempt at setting a regular running schedule.  I ran two workouts over 10 miles and an interval session.  Feeling adventurous, I tried a new access point to the Mount Vernon Trail, which was exciting for me!

Training Schedule
June 16th – June 22nd

Sunday: Long Run. 12 miles
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Interval Run. 8 miles w/8x400m @ 5K-10K pace w/400m recovery jog
Wednesday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Thursday: General Aerobic Run. 10 miles
Friday: Off
Saturday: Easy Run. 8 miles w/6x100m strides

Total: ~44 Miles

Notes. This is the schedule I’m envisioning for the summer – long runs on Sundays, intervals on Tuesdays, and a medium distance outing on Thursdays.

Workouts

Long Run. 12 miles [Log Details].

The day before, I went to a cookout followed by a night out with friends.  I slept in a little and didn’t start my run until 8:30am.  So, it was 71 degrees at the start of the run.  But, that was alright – I wanted this to be a “time on your feet” run so I could start adding longer runs to my schedule.

I ran north to Clarendon and then downhill to Rosslyn.  Normally, this segment is blazing fast but I purposefully held back.  I ran so easy on the Custis Trail that I lost track of time at some points on the hilly terrain.  I carried a handheld water bottle with Maurten Drink Mix but also stopped for water at fountains along the way.  On the W&OD Trail, I took a detour to Bluemont Park to take advantage of the shade.  My legs hurt a bit and I thought this pair of Mizuno Wave Rider 22s might be ready for retirement.  Sure enough, when I checked my training log, there were close to 300 miles.

Overall pace=9:31.

Interval Run. 8 miles w/8x400m @ 5K-10K pace w/400m recovery jog [Log Details].

It was hot and humid already when I left my house at around 7:15am.  Like last week, I ran on the Four Mile Run Trail.  The first repetition was super fast and the next two were equally speedy.  The fourth was a little slow on account of a disrupted GPS signal while running under Route 1.  After the fourth repetition, I walked to the turn-around, which was at the switchback leading up to the Potomac Yard Trail.

With all the walking, this workout took a little more time than last week.  And, the intervals were also a little slower overall.

For the cool-down, I returned home the way I came except I walked the steep uphill on Walter Reed Drive.

400m paces=6:42, 7:05, 7:03, 7:18, 6:56, 7:14, 7:02, 7:06.  Average=7:03.

General Aerobic Run. 10 miles [Log Details].

A few months ago, I signed up to telework on alternating Thursday.  For running, it means I would gain an extra 30-45 minutes in the morning on days when I work from home.  After a leisurely morning, I didn’t start my run until 7:45am.  However, it’s summer so it was already 75 degrees when I started.

From home, I ran north for three miles to the Custis Trail.  My pace was slow but wasn’t concerned.  Another mile later, I ran past Michael Wardian before stopping for water at Nelson Street.  When I reached the W&OD Trail, I found another gear.  I dropped down to 9:00 pace on the gradual downhill for the next 2 miles before starting the uphill climb towards home.  Surprisingly, even that segment was around 9:00 pace.

Overall pace=9:19.

Health

Injuries. My knees continued to hurt at the beginning of most runs.

Sleep.  Surprisingly, I got at least 7.5 hours of sleep early in the week but dropped down to about 5.5 hours by the end.

Weight. Even though I’m running more regularly, my post-marathon weight gain isn’t changing.

Weather

The humidity increased as the week went on but the temperatures weren’t bad for June in Washington, D.C.  It poured on Tuesday and Wednesday evening, which made it feel swamp-like here.

Overall pace=9:19.

Routes

Parks.  Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove.  On Saturday, I went searching for the bridge that connects to the Mount Vernon Trail from the north parking lot at the Pentagon.  This access point is much safer than crossing near the Memorial Bridge.

It wasn’t difficult to find at all and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t been using it all along!

(My Guide to Washington D.C. Area Running Routes)

Nutrition

Sports drinks. Maurten Drink Mix. The sports drink of champions!  I finally tried this much touted brand.  I have to say…  I was disappointed!  Mostly, by the sugar water taste.  Each packet goes into 500 ml (17 ounces) of water.  Each “sachel” has 160 calories, 39 grams of carbohydrate. For electrolytes, it has 400 micro-grams of sodium.  Here’s how it compares with other sports drinks.

Product	Calories	Carbohydrate (g)	Sodium (mg)	Potassium (mg)	Other
Gatorade	80	22	160	45
Maurten Drink Mix	113	28	282	0	One packet is 500 ml or approximately 17 ounces.
Powerade Sports Drink	80	22	150	35
Sword Endurance Drink Mix	84	22	282	-	The manufacturer sets a serving at one tablespoon mixed with 20 ounces of water.
Tailwind Endurance Fuel	100	25	303	88	The manufacturer recommends two to three scoops per 24 ounces of water.
VFuel Ultra Endurance Drink Mix	100	25	118	43	The manufacturer recommends adding 2 scoops to 24 oz of water.
Maurten Drink Mix	113	28	282	0	Each "sachel" goes into 17 ounces of water.
Xendurance Fuel 5	207	51	24	0	Two scoops is for 8 ounces of water.

(My Guide to Running Nutrition)

Media & Motivation

Podcasts.  “Episode 492, Comrades Special” Marathon Talk.  For loyal listeners, this was a much anticipated episode as host Tom Williams ran the Comrades Marathon (55 miles/89 kilometers) with his father.  I swore off running over 50 miles again after the 2018 San Diego 50 Miler, but listening had me thinking about giving an ultra-marathon another go.

Music.  “The Way,” Fastball.  I saw this band at a summer concert many years ago and this song still makes me feel carefree.

(My “Songs of the Week” on Spotify)

Motivation.

[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”raised” width=”100%” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”4″ border_color=”#F11D9A” rounded_corners=”false” outside_shadow=”false” ]”What has passed is already finished with. What I find more interesting is what is still to come.” – Emil Zatopek [/dropshadowbox]

Lately, I’ve wondered if my training lacked focus this year.  I think it has.  Now, what am I going to do about that?

Racing Schedule

Next race: 2019 Firecracker 5K on July 4th. (My Complete Racing Schedule.)

(My Racing Schedule)