Winter of 2020 – Week 10
There was another snow warning to start the week and then on Wednesday and Friday, too. I had a disappointing marathon-pace workout on Sunday but a great interval session on Wednesday. But, the week ended in disaster after I tripped during an easy run, fracturing two fingers and skinning my knee!
Training Schedule
February 7th – February 13th
Sunday: Marathon-pace Run. 16 miles w/12 miles @ marathon pace
Monday: Off or cross-train
Tuesday: General Aerobic Run. 9 miles
Wednesday: Interval Run. 9 miles w/6 x 800m @ 5K-10K pace w/50-90% interval time recovery jog
Thursday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Friday: Medium Run. 11 miles
Saturday: General Aerobic Run. 8 miles
Total: ~59 Miles
Notes. For the first time in a long while, I completed all of my workouts!
Training paces
| Recovery | Long | Marathon | Threshold | Repetition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slower than 9:40 | 9:25-9:40 | 8:55-9:10 | 8:25-8:40 | 7:40-7:50 (5K) |
Workouts
Marathon-pace Run
There is so much to do in a new house! I reluctantly pulled myself away from decorating and started my run at 2pm.
I ran 2 miles up the W&OD Trail and then started the marathon pace segment of the workout at Bluemont Park.
The first two miles of the route I planned were uphill so my pace averaged around 9:20. When I finally reached the Custis Trail, which still had some rolling hills, my pace got down to 9:00. In Rosslyn, I stopped at two intersections before crossing over to the Mount Vernon Trail. I stopped again to take a picture of a bad car crash on the George Washington Memorial Parkway. “How did he get all the way up that embankment?”
The next 9 miles down the trail was uneventful. I struggled at some points but was able to get back on pace with a little more effort.
With two miles to go and at the junction with the Four Mile Run Trail, I saw my boyfriend ahead! As I passed him, I yelled that I was doing a speed workout and confidently cruised by. (I had earbuds in so I’m not sure if he said something back.) Now, I was running into the wind and my pace started to falter. For the next mile, he stayed about 10 yards behind me, which was a bit annoying. I told myself that I shouldn’t let this bother me. I thought, “On a windy day in London, a competitor might do this. What would you do?” But ultimately, I told my boyfriend to run ahead and he easily pulled ahead.
I ran a super slow cool down on the W&OD Trail. I finished well below expectations but I was happy I finished the workout.
Distance=12.00 miles
Pace=9:13/mile
Interval Run
At last – the weather was above 30 degrees! I jogged over to Wakefield High School track unsure how far it was from my new home, so it was only a 1.4 mile warm-up. Thankfully, there was only two other people at the track when I arrived.
I was a bit cautious initially because this was my first speed workout of this training cycle. But with two sets to go, I decided to push the pace. I was shocked to see I got under 7:30! For the final set, I did almost as well. Overall, I averaged 7:48, which is in the range that I wanted.
For my cool-down, I took an alternate route home to get the mileage I wanted for the day.
| Distance | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 800m (pace) | 8:00 | 7:54 | 7:58 |
| Set 4 | Set 5 | Set 6 | |
| 7:51 | 7:28 | 7:34 |
Distance=4.50 miles
Pace=8:44/mile
General Aerobic Run
My boyfriend encouraged me to leave before the forecasted ice storm but I was enjoying a stress-free Saturday around our new house. By the time I left the house, it was sleeting and the temperature was in the 20s so the streets and sidewalks were turning icy.
I ran over to the W&OD Trail and from there headed north. The traction on the asphalt was fine until Bluemont Park where there were slick patches. Despite the increased slipperiness and the thin layer of ice on my jacket and mittens, I thought it was safe to continue and cut over to the Custis Trail. I saw a group of college-aged runners and felt more confident that it wasn’t crazy to be out running. I left the trail at George Mason Drive and headed south.
At one point, I thought the cars were coming around a bend a little fast, so I ran as far to the left on the sidewalk as I could. (In retrospect, the car crash that I saw on Sunday may have been in the back of my mind.) The next thing I knew, I hit the ground and felt the ring finger on my left hand snap! I took my glove off expecting to see my finger going the wrong direction but to my relief, it was straight. My knee was also skinned and bloody. I walked a little and then ran another mile home.
Distance=7.47 miles
Pace=9:49/mile
Health
Injuries. On Saturday, I tripped on the remnants of a road sign that had been taken down. On impact, I felt the ring finger on my left hand bend in a bad direction. Sitting up, I took my glove and mitten off and was relieved to see my fingers were straight. The hole in my new tights revealed a bloodied right knee. After returning home, my boyfriend convinced me to take an emegency trip to the orthopedist after the pain and swelling in my fingers wouldn’t relent after icing and ibuprofen. On the drive over, my middle finger also started swelling.
After taking x-rays, the doctor diagnosed “avulsion injuries to the middle phalanx of the third and fourth digits of the left hand” aka two fractured fingers. I left with my hand in a split and an appointment to follow-up in two weeks.
Clothing
Shoe Charms. My motivation has been sagging recently – it’s been so hard focusing on running when there’s so much to do in the new house! On Tuesday, I blinged out my shoes with charms with race logos and words of inspiration hoping they would get me excited about running again.
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Alexi Pappas Is Bravey,” Rich Roll. This was a wide ranging discussion between the host and the Olympian/writer/filmmaker – over 2 hours long! I’ve heard a few interviews with her over the past couple of months and my take-away from what I’ve heard from her is how hard she’s worked to be more than a runner.
Racing Schedule
Future Races. London Marathon. The ballot results came out this week! Unfortunately, my boyfriend did not get into the race but I’m already in as part of the Wanda World Age Group Championships that were postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Runner rankings. RunWashington’s DMV Distance Derby. My best times are:
- Teddy Roosevelt Island (1.4 miles): 10:08 (7:38 pace) on May 12, 2020.
- Custis Climb – Key Bridge to Glebe (3.1 miles): 25:47 (8:47 pace) on October 6, 2020.
- Hains Point (2.5 miles): 20:37 (8:13 pace) on November 26, 2020.
Next race: ?
