Summer of 2020 – Week 4
My foot felt better and I did a long run on Sunday. I biked to the track to take some of the pressure off my feet. I started to feel a little more hopeful. On Saturday, my boyfriend and I headed to central Virginia for a change of scenery.
Training Schedule
June 21 – June 27
Sunday: Long Run. L run of the lesser of 90 minutes or 25% of weekly mileage
Monday: Easy Run. 5 miles w/strides
Tuesday: Interval Run. 6 x 400m R w/400m recovery jog
Wednesday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Thursday: Easy Run. 4 miles w/strides
Friday: Threshold Run. 4 x 200 R w/200 jog + 3 x 1-mile repeats at T pace w/1-min. rests + 4 x 200 R w/200 jog
Saturday: Easy Run. 4 miles w/strides
Total: ~45 Miles
Notes. The mileage and paces weren’t what I wanted but I mostly followed the plan. I moved the threshold run to Thursday anticipating I might run long on Saturday before going out of town.
Workouts
Long Run
Thankfully, the schedule only called for 90 minutes of running – the temperature was already 70 degrees at 6:45 a.m.
D.C.-area forecast: Fewer storms today, but heating up through midweek, with more storms on the way https://t.co/c7k0kdxPgm
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) June 21, 2020
Running through Pentagon City and Crystal City, my pace was under 10:00/mile. Leaving those neighborhoods, I joined the Mount Vernon Trail near National Airport, I stopped and took a picture of the Black Lives Matter stencil on the concrete.
I ran south for about a mile and eventually hooked up with the Four Mile Run Trail. I was running at a steady pace but the heat was starting to get to me.
I stopped to guzzle water at the W&OD Trail trailhead. By then, I was struggling to hit an 11:00 pace.
A little over 7 miles into the run, I stopped because I didn’t think I could go another 2.5. I took a detour that involved walking a steep hill and then ran a little more than a mile at 10:20 pace for 8.5 miles total for the day.
My pace was slow but it was in range provided in the Daniels’ Running Formula VDOT tables so I thought it must be okay.
Overall pace=10:16.
Interval Run
In this week of the Daniels’ Running Formula Half Marathon plan, the length of the repetitions lengthened to 400m. I checked the VDOT tables before leaving home and solidified in my mind that 1:40 was my goal time.
The weather was hot and steamy.
D.C.-area forecast: Hot, humid and stormy, but nicer weather arrives tomorrow https://t.co/MRA7VAujEG
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) June 23, 2020
I left my bike at home and jogged down to the Wakefield High School Track. My boyfriend, who is also a runner, was there doing laps but I mostly ignored him and focused on my own workout. In the early repetitions, I tried to generate power early in the lap and hold the pace. At times, I also tried to lengthen my stride a bit. It dawned on me that my slowness might be biomechanical and not so much about cardiovascular fitness. I finished thinking I could do one more, which made me think I did pretty well but my pace was off.
| Distance | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400m | 1:56 | 1:52 | 1:50 |
| Set 4 | Set 5 | Set 6 | |
| 400m | 1:49 | 1:44 | 1:46 |
Threshold Run
I moved the workout up a day because my boyfriend and I would be heading down to Central Virginia on Saturday.
Consulting the VDOT tables in Daniels’ Running Formula and guessed I should be aiming for 8:33-8:44 paced miles.
The temperature was in the low 70s, which was tolerable.
D.C.-area forecast: Spotty showers today, but otherwise nice weather through Friday; steamy this weekend https://t.co/a7YlSnvZwY
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) June 25, 2020
I ran down to the Four Mile Run Trail as my warm-up. I completed the 4 x 0.12 mile speed segment in 0:54, 0:55, 0:58, and 0:57.
I started the tempo mile running east towards the Mount Vernon Trail. I stopped at the second. I was completely out of breath. I walked for a quarter-mile and then mustered the energy to run another 0.75 miles in 9:06 pace.
For the 4 x 0.12 mile repetitions, I slugged out 0:59, 0:62, 0:61, and 0:63.
My attempt at a long run on Saturday was a bust. My legs weren’t ready for more than a few miles.
| Distance | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mile | 8:48 | 9:13 | 6:49 (0.75 mi.) |
Cross-training
I rode my bike to the track a few times but didn’t engage in structured cross-training this week. While the gym I belong to re-opened with health protocols to address COVID-19, I’m not comfortable exercising around other people for any length of time yet.
Health
Injuries. Plantar Fasciitis. After my long run on Sunday, I iced my right foot. During the week, I tried the CEP plantar fasciitis sleeves but they did not seem to help. During my track workout, I noticed the Achilles Tendon on my left foot was sore, so I started icing that, as well.
Weight. In the meanwhile, I decided to do a “dry July” to see if abstaining from alcohol will help with my weight (and high blood pressure).
Clothing
When I packed up my townhouse, I purged a few running gear items so I have an excuse to buy new ones!
Shorts. Oiselle Summer Roga Shorts. As I mentioned last week, this has become my favorite short and I bought another pair to extend my laundry. My only issue with this brand is the garment tags. Most high-end brands have moved to an imprint but Oiselle still uses cloth. Price: $54.
Gear
GPS watches. Garmin 645 Music. Now that I’m running on the track, I decided to finally figure out how to use the music function on my watch so I wouldn’t need to run with my phone. I had to sync a playlist from Spotify (music can also be stored locally) and then pair my headphones but otherwise, it was simple. It drains the battery, though, so I will limit using this function.
Custom Wood Design – Marathon Medal Display. After all these years, I finally purchased a medal rack! I found this model on Etsy and loved it’s simple design and message. Price: $59.95
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Knox Robinson on The Divided States of America“, Rich Roll. While talking about Ahmaud Arbery’s murder (46:27 mark), the guest talked about the moment when he saw the video and thought, “Wow. That’s my body”. I think a lot of Black people, and runners in particular, felt that way. He goes on to talk about his particular experience of being a black male runner.
Rich Roll Podcast · Knox Robinson on The Divided States of America
Racing Schedule
Future races. There was good news for the return of road racing in the fall. Locally, the Marine Corps Marathon, which is in late-October, seemed to signal all systems are go when organizers announced on Tuesday that the 10K race and fun walk were cancellation. And, internationally, the Hamburg Marathon in mid-September announced it would go ahead (capped at 10,000 participants).
Runner rankings. RunWashington’s DMV Distance Derby. I didn’t run any segments this week, so I doubt I will make one for June. My best times:
- 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: ?
