Summer of 2020 – Week 5
The week started with a slow, hilly long run at the Wintergreen Resort in Virginia. For my other workouts, I settled on paces based on the VDOT tables in Daniels’ Running Formula. Meanwhile, my mind wandered to whether I should bother training for a fall marathon or not.
Training Schedule
June 28th – July 4th
Sunday: Long Run. 120 minutes
Monday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Tuesday: Interval Run. 4 x 200m R + 200m jog + 200m R + 400m jog + 400m R + 200 jog
Wednesday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Thursday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Friday: Threshold Run. 2 x 2 mile runs at T pace w/2-min. recoveries + 4 x 200m R w/200m jog
Saturday: Easy Run. 4 miles + strides
Total: ~45 Miles
Notes. I skipped the easy run on Monday and went hiking around the Wintergreen Resort with my boyfriend instead. Once I was back home, I followed the schedule.
Training Paces
| VDOT | Easy / Long | Marathon | Threshold | Repetition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | 10:09-11:20 | 9:28 | 8:44 (mile) | 0:55 (200m) / 1:51 (400m) |
Workouts
Long Run
We left the Mountain Inn at the Wintergreen Resort, which was almost deserted, a little after 8 a.m. I followed my boyfriend’s lead and we started ascending the mountain heading west. About a half mile in and our quadriceps already burning, we stopped at a scenic overlook and then continued lumbering along. We took left at Devil’s Knob Loop and encountered a steeper climb! Just short of the 2-mile mark and only 25 minutes into the run, we stopped at another overlook. It felt like a huge achievement!
Then, we took a nice descent down Devil’s Knob, crossed Wintergreen Drive, and did a loop around the golf course. We paused briefly at the 5.5-mile mark before starting another steep uphill. By then, my legs were spent but we ventured over to another area of the resort on Blackrock Drive. The temperature was only 70 degrees but the hills did me in. I turned around early and called it a day after 95 minutes – well short of my 2-hour goal.
Distance=7.79 miles
Pace=12:19/mile
Interval Run
When I stopped training for the Boston Marathon back in March, I’ve been mostly running by feel. But before leaving the house, I sat down with Daniels’ Running Formula and got a sense for the paces I should run: about 0:55 for 200m and 1:51 for 400m.
I ran a little less than 2 miles for a warm-up over to the Wakefield High School Track. It was about 78 degrees when I got there.
D.C.-area forecast: More summer sunshine today, with a chance of thunderstorms tomorrow https://t.co/ef72qAVpQ0
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) June 30, 2020
The workout – 4 x 200m R + 200m jog + 200m R + 400m jog + 400m R + 200 jog – was a bit complicated so I had to concentrate. I noticed I could get to my goal pace for the 200m fairly easily, but I was almost sprinting out the 400m.
The cool-down home was a hard slog.
| Distance | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200m | 0:53 | 0:52 | 0:51 | 0:52 |
| 200m | 0:57 | 0:54 | 0:54 | 0:55 |
| 400m | 1:49 | 1:49 | 1:51 | 1:50 |
Distance=3.94 miles
Pace=9:50/mile
Threshold Run
I took a slightly longer route to the track this time for the warm-up. And, I had a lot of reservations about being able to complete this workout – I haven’t been very successful at running more than 2 miles hard lately.
It was already over 80 degrees when I started the workout.
D.C.-area forecast: Feels near 100 degrees today ahead of a steamy Fourth https://t.co/21GcfXuLMK
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) July 3, 2020
There were some fast runners on the track mostly taking pictures but eventually, they started a workout. I stayed out of their way and focused on what I was doing. When it felt hard, I told myself if I couldn’t finish this workout, I couldn’t start training for a marathon. In the middle of the second 2-miler, my heart rate spiked to 194 and I decided to slow down.
I took a few steps towards starting a cool-down and decided I would just walk home.
| Distance | Set 1 | Set 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 miles | 18:19 | 18:33 |
Distance=4.08 miles
Pace=9:25/mile
Cross-training
On Monday, my boyfriend and I went on a difficult hour-long hike around the Wintergreen Resort. I was in a great mood because it was our first time venturing outside the Washington, D.C. area in months!
Health
Injuries. Plantar Fasciitis. This week, icing my right foot after workouts became a regular activity. I noticed my left Achilles Tendon was also tender so I started treating it most days, as well.
Clothing
Sports Bras. Title 9 Invincible Sports Bra/Anita Momentum Pro Sports Bra. Brooks discontinued the Juno bra so I was on a hunt for another supportive sports bra. (I tried their Rebound Racer in the past and their new Dare Racerback Run Bra but neither of them fit.) I tried this bra despite some questionable reviews and it’s great. It fits well and the fabric is smooth. My only issue with it was the straps.
It’s also a bit expensive for a sports bra. Price: $119
Media & Motivation
News. “Should I Wear a Mask While Running“, Runner’s World. As more runners start venturing outside, there’s been a good deal of confusion about how to protect oneself from COVID-19. During my runs, I have not been wearing a mask but have seen a very small number of runners wearing one.
Racing Schedule
Runner rankings. RunWashington’s DMV Distance Derby. I didn’t run any segments this month but the June results came out. 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: ?
