Winter of 2020 – Week 3
Without traveling this year, I was off from work having reached the coveted “use or lose” status with my annual leave. After a good marathon-pace run on Sunday, the home inspection for the new house my partner and I are purchasing had me on my feet more than usual on Tuesday and wrecked my medium run.
Training Schedule
December 20th – December 26th
Sunday: Marathon-pace Run. 16 miles w/8 miles @ goal marathon pace
Monday: Rest or cross-train
Tuesday: Medium Run. 11 miles
Wednesday: Medium Run. 13 miles
Thursday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Friday: Lactate-threshold Run. 9 miles w/4 miles @ lactate threshold pace
Saturday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Total: ~59 Miles
Notes. I couldn’t do my second medium run on Wednesday but I tacked on miles here and there to get closer to my mileage goal. Also, I moved my lactate-threshold run to Thursday so I could do a social run with my boyfriend on Christmas.
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
After last week’s disappointing long run, I wanted a better result on this day. Before leaving the house, I had some coffee, a banana, and toast with butter and jam.
The temperature was in the low 40s so I dressed warmly in a thermal layer, pull-over, and heavy tights.
D.C.-area forecast: Not as cold the next few days with a few flakes possible; looking stormy Christmas Eve into Christmas Day https://t.co/HIUJHwPZPe
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) December 20, 2020
As soon as I left the house, I knew I was overdressed so I took my arm out of one sleeve during the warm-up to the Mount Vernon Trail. At Gravelly Point, I took the thermal layer off before starting the marathon-pace segment.
I felt lousy and was running just above 9:10 pace as I crossed the 14th Street Bridge into Washington, DC. I hit the second split as I entered “Hains Point”. I thought about whether training while moving and combining household would be too difficult. Turning the tip of the peninsula, the wind died down and I felt myself running a little harder.
I started a loop around the Tidal Basin. Coming off the bridge, the woman looked so I thought she saw me but then she stopped in the middle of the sidewalk! I screamed and side-stepped her to avoid a collision.
When I finished on Gravelly Point, I hate a Clif Shot Energy Gel and then started a very slow cool-down home. I stopped by the porta-potties to put my thermal layer back on. I stopping to walk at points so ensure I ran exactly four miles.
Distance=16.09 miles
Pace=9:33/mile
Medium Run
Today was the home inspection for the new home my partner and I were purchasing! It was scheduled for 10 a.m., so my goal was to finish by 9:30 a.m.
D.C.-area forecast: Sunny, windy and warmer today ahead of a stormy Christmas Eve https://t.co/zoucIfCWd5
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) December 22, 2020
I headed down the Arlington Boulevard Trail. In Rosslyn, I detoured around a street closure due to a hotel that had been recently imploded. On the Mount Vernon Trail, I stopped to admire the view of the Lincoln Memorial in the distance shrouded by willows.
My pace was around 9:30 when I left the trail in Crystal City. Realizing my existing routes would change, I took an alternate route home on the nascent Washington Boulevard Trail that cut off some uphill climbing back to my apartment but I had still slowed to 10:30 pace.
I showered quickly and made it to the home inspection at exactly 10 a.m.!
Distance=11.09 miles
Pace=9:50/mile
Lactate Threshold Run
On Wednesday, I started my usual 13-mile route by running down the Arlington Boulevard Trail. But when I reached Rosslyn, I didn’t have any confidence that I could finish. I called a ride share and went back home. As a result, I moved this workout up a day because I should have been well rested for it. Plus, I planned a social run with my boyfriend on Christmas Day.
There was a threat of rain in the forecast so my goal was to finish before it started.
D.C.-area forecast: Warm and wet today, stormy and windy tonight and bitter cold on Christmas Day https://t.co/LXrEjk16mk
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) December 24, 2020
I ran a 2.5-mile warm-up to Crystal City. Then, I did a few form drills consisting of high knees and butt kicks before starting the lactate threshold paced segment. Just before the first mile ended, I arrived at the Mount Vernon Trail and my first split was 8:41. The third mile on the Four Mile Run Trail was a little fast at 8:26 but otherwise, it was an evenly paced run.
I tacked on some extra miles during the cool-down for 11.6 miles on the day. Although I wasn’t able to follow the schedule as planned, my mileage would be close.
Distance=4.00 miles
Pace=8:37/mile
Health
Hypertension. Two weeks ago, I started taking my high blood pressure medication before my runs so my evening dose would be spaced 12 hours later. This week, I went back to taking it after out of concerns that lowering my heart rate could be altering perceived effort.
Routes
Monuments. On Christmas afternoon, my partner and I went for a jaunt around downtown, Washington, DC. Parking on Ohio Drive near the Tidal Basin, we ran over to the Lincoln Memorial, across town to the U.S. Capitol Building, over to Black Lives Matter Plaza, and visited the Albert Einstein Memorial. I love my neighborhood but the change of scenery was energizing.
My Guide to Washington D.C. Area Running Routes
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Episode 140: Alex Hutchinson“, The Morning Shakeout. This episode focused mostly on the author’s newest book, Endure, which is about the mental side of running. But, the part of the discussion that stuck with me most was early when said (11:15 mark) he’s not sure why he runs anymore but knows it’s an essential part of his life. I feel the same.
News. “Sara Hall Becomes Second-Fastest Marathoner in American History at The Marathon Project“, Runner’s World. (For women, of course.) I didn’t have the chance to watch the Marathon Project but I’m continually grateful to Sara Hall for providing racing bright spots during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Racing Schedule
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: ?
