Summer of 2020 – Week 11
Just as I was feeling like my fitness was improving, my body showed signs of over-training: fatigue during my speed workouts and piriformis syndrome. The weather also played a part in derailing my training when a storm forced me to run my threshold run in the afternoon.
Training Schedule
August 9th – August 15th
Sunday: Long Run. Lesser of 120 min. or 25% weekly mileage
Monday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Tuesday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Wednesday: Interval Run. Repeated 1000m runs @ I pace w/3-min. recovery jog
Thursday: Cruise Interval Run. 1 mile runs @ T pace w/1-min. rests + 4 x 200m @ R pace w/200m recovery jog
Friday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Total: ~49 Miles
Notes. This week, I added strides to my easy runs on Monday and Tuesday but I didn’t do any cross-training.
Training paces
| VDOT | Easy / Long | Marathon | Threshold | Repetition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 9:56-11:06 | 9:15 | 8:33 (mile) | 4:54 (1000m) / 0:54 (200m) |
Workouts
Long Run
With the virtual Boston Marathon looming on my calendar, I wanted to have a solid endurance run this week to bolster my confidence that I could run 26.2 miles next month.
The weather was in the relatively tolerable mid-70s when I left home.
D.C.-area forecast: Warm today and hot tomorrow; rain chances stay low for now https://t.co/tio4phcBzI
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) August 9, 2020
I ran down the Arlington Boulevard Trail to Rosslyn, Virginia. I kept my speed in check and ran just over 10:00 pace. I turned left at the Custis Trail and down-shifted my effort even more on the steep climb. At the water fountain near the beaver pond, I stopped for water and ate a Gu Energy Gel (Lemonade – not good).
When I reached the downhills, I felt a second wind. Listening to my Best of Latin playlist certainly helped and by the time I reached the W&OD Trail, I left amazing! I finished the run just a few seconds shy of 2 hours, which was fast for my recent long runs.
Distance=11.48 miles
Pace=10:23/mile
Interval Run
I didn’t think much about the workout before leaving home. I’d been running so well lately that I felt sure I could run “hard”.
It rained in the early morning hours but it was still 75 degrees and 90% humidity when I left my apartment.
D.C.-area forecast: Flash flood watch today with a daily chance of storms through the weekend https://t.co/AVXxAGLa6o
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) August 12, 2020
I ran down to the Wakefield High School Track. By the time I arrived, I felt sluggish. I started the workout aware of a group of coaches and young runners in the middle lanes. When I hit the lap button for the first set, I thought, “That was short for 1,000m” and realized I hadn’t gone far enough. But the pace was solid. By the second repetition, my pace was completely off. I continued for a few more sets and then thought, “What’s the point?” and ended the workout early.
| Distance | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m | 3:00 (600m) | 5:06 | 5:15 | 5:18 |
Distance=3.35 miles
Pace=9:53/mile
Threshold Run
When I woke up, it was raining fairly heavily. I knew it was coming down too hard for a run because I could see the raindrops hitting puddles from my sixth-floor apartment!
I finally went out for my run 12:30 p.m. By then, the rain had stopped but it was hot and humid.
D.C.-area forecast: Humid with periodic downpours through the weekend and some rain-free intervals https://t.co/ImryT9MoNZ
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) August 13, 2020
This was the same workout that I ran during Week 6 and Week 7 but I did this one on the roads rather than the track. After a warm-up to Crystal City, I started the threshold segment on the Mount Vernon Trail. I finished the first mile near the National Airport daily parking lot and walked the recovery. The pace was slow but I rationalized it was because I was running in the mid-day heat. The second set was on the flat terrain of the Four Mile Run Trail. It was also off-pace but consistent with the first mile. When the third was even slower, I stopped trying to hit T pace and switched to running the 200m intervals on the W&OD Trail.
| Distance | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mile | 8:58 | 9:01 | 9:16 |
Distance=3.25 miles
Pace=9:47/mile
Health
Injuries. Piriformis Syndrome. During Friday’s easy run, I felt a familiar “pain in the butt” on my right side. It felt better the next day but I can’t catch a break when it comes to injuries these days.
Routes
Parks. Glencarlyn Park. I changed my easy run route so it passes this a nice little oasis near Mile 2.3 of the W&OD Trail in Arlington, Virginia. In addition to a water fountain, there is a bathroom open year-round.
My Guide to Washington D.C. Area Running Routes
Gear
StrideBox. The August box arrived on Saturday and contained B’Bites Bars, Pinnacle Nutrition Group Refuel Energy Gel, GU Energy Stroopwafel, Zipfizz Healthy Energy Drink Mix, Splats SPF 29 Sunscreen. The Stridebox essential was a very cool rundana with a patterned “anthology” of previous box motivations.
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Episode 245: Ransom Advice (Mark Stickley)”, Pace the Nation. This week’s guest was the race director for the Loudon Street Mile, which took place despite the COVID-19 pandemic. There were five waves resulting in approximately 200 finishers. While the race took other precautions, the race director also told runners not to come if they weren’t going to feel safe.
PaceTheNation · Ep 245 – Ransom Advice (Mark Stickley)
Racing Schedule
Runner rankings. RunWashington’s DMV Distance Derby. I didn’t run any segments this week. My best times remain:
- Teddy Roosevelt Island – 1.4 miles. 10:08 (7:38 pace) on May 12, 2020
- Custis Climb – Key Bridge to Glebe – 3.1 miles. 26:10 (8:55 pace) on May 21, 2020
Next race: ?
