Winter of 2020 – Week 5
This was the hardest week that I’d had in a while. Purchasing a home on Monday took a lot of my mental and emotional energy and then work stress on Tuesday took what was left. By Wednesday, the day the U.S. Capitol was stormed, I had nothing left. I took Friday off from running and hoped to rebound next week.
Training Schedule
January 3rd – January 9th
Sunday: Long Run. 18 miles
Monday: Rest or cross-train
Tuesday: Lactate Threshold Run. 9 miles w/5 miles at lactate threshold pace
Wednesday: Medium-long Run. 14 miles
Thursday: Recovery Run. 5 miles
Friday: Medium-long Run. 12 miles
Saturday: Recovery Run. 5 miles
Total: ~63 Miles
Notes. I couldn’t quite do 14 miles on Wednesday, and after quitting mid-run on Thursday, I took Friday off and hoped to rebound next week. And, still no cross-training for me as I wait for post-holiday COVID-19 case numbers to drop.
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
Long Run
Last week, I “only” ran 15 miles so I was looking forward to pushing my endurance a bit with an 18 miler. For the route, I decided to run the Arlington Triangle (clockwise). The temperature was 38 degrees and overcast when I started a little after 9am.
I didn’t want to start too fast because the first 5 miles of this run would be uphill so I ran slowly up the W&OD Trail – just under 10:00 pace. At Bluemont Park, I went even slower as I made my way to the Custis Trail. When I finally reached Lee Highway, I was thankful for the long downhill into Rosslyn. But, I didn’t get greedy and my pace only dropped down to 9:22.
On the Mount Vernon Trail, the route flattened out and I maintained a steady 9:40 pace for the next 5 miles.
When I reached the Four Mile Run Trail, I expected to fade a little because I was running into the wind but my pace remained consistent. It wasn’t until I hit the W&OD Trail that my legs finally gave up on me and my pace went back to 10:00.
Overall, this was a good effort for the distance.
Distance=18.00 miles
Pace=9:48/mile
Threshold Run
On Monday, my boyfriend and I purchased our first home together! It took a lot of my mental and emotional energy. The day started at 9am with the walk-through and then the closing was at 10am. We celebrated a bit that afternoon and gradually let the prospect of moving come into our awareness.
When I woke up on Tuesday morning, I had only slept for about 6 hours the night before. And, the temperature was 39 degrees and rainy. But, I was determined to stay on track with my training!
For a warm-up, I ran from my apartment building to Crystal City. From there, I ran south on the Mount Vernon Trail. Wanting to get off to a good start, my first split was 8:30! I eased off the pace a little for the second and clocked an 8:45. The last three miles were on the Four Mile Run Trail and were a bit inconsistent at 8:48, 9:00, and 8:40.
I missed my target range but given the stress and lack of sleep from the day before, I decided not to over-analyze this workout.
Distance=5.00 miles
Pace=8:45/mile
Medium-long Run
On Tuesday, when I returned home from my run and started teleworking, I had a difficult project with a close-of-business deadline waiting for me. I spent the entire workday on my part and then stayed up late so I could be available to my colleagues if needed. Watching the news, I grew anxious about the protest coming to Washington D.C. the next day.
The next day, January 6th, I didn’t leave the house until close to 8am. Like it had been all week, the temperature was in the upper 30s and overcast.
My first mile was 10:45 pace and I didn’t have a good feeling about the run. But, as I made my way down the Arlington Boulevard Trail, I started feeling better.
In Rosslyn, I started seeing protestors. By the time I reached the Mount Vernon Trail and saw the number of cars parked in the lot at Theodore Roosevelt Island, I realized this event was going to be larger than many of us may have thought. I forced myself not to react even though I found their presence disturbing.
Despite the distraction, I ran well. My last split before exiting the trail was 8:44 pace! But, I slowed down to 11:00 mile through Crystal City.
Later that afternoon, there was an attack on the United States Capitol. The building where I work was evacuated and for a few hours, I worried about the safety of my co-workers. It was a distressful day for me on so many levels. I didn’t sleep well that night either and decided I was too emotionally and physically exhausted to train.
Distance=10.69 miles
Pace=9:10/mile
Routes
Mount Vernon Trail. In early December, work on the Memorial Bridge was completed but it took a while for the staging area on the Mount Vernon Trail to be taken down. It’ll be nice to have an unobstructed view of downtown again.
My Guide to Washington D.C. Area Running Routes
Gear
Stridebox. Thankfully, this month’s box before my move! Fitting for the new year, the theme was “Just Start”. For gear, there was Hyland’s Arnica Pain Relief, Aloe Up Hand Sanitizer, and most intereresting to me, Vivo Health Analyzing Test Strip. For nutrition, the box had a Tailwind Nutrition Rebuild Recovery packet, Thunderbird Bar, and Boon Stroopwafels.
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Episode 216: Fresh Start in 2021“, Running Rogue. I could relate to burnout. Over the course of the past two years, I spent less time focused on running (and blogging). Unlike the host, I’m not sure that a break is what I need to rediscover my passion but this episode made me think I need to do something.
Racing Schedule
Runner rankings. RunWashington’s DMV Distance Derby – January Standings. My best times are:
- Teddy Roosevelt Island (1.4 miles): 10:08 (7:38 pace) on May 12, 2020. 15th overall, 2nd woman.
- Custis Climb – Key Bridge to Glebe (3.1 miles): 25:47 (8:47 pace) on October 6, 2020. 19th overall, 4th woman.
- Hains Point (2.5 miles): 20:37 (8:13 pace) on November 26, 2020. 69th overall 21st woman.
Next race: ?
