Winter of 2020 – Week 6
It was a busy week getting ready for my move to a new house! I completed a marathon-pace run on Sunday and stayed on schedule until Wednesday when I moved the training calendar forward a day in anticipation that I wouldn’t run long on moving day next Sunday. On Thursday evening, I stayed late at the new house but still ran the next day.
Training Schedule
January 10th – January 16th
Sunday: Marathon-pace Run. 18 miles w/10 miles @ marathon pace
Monday: Rest or cross-train
Tuesday: General Aerobic Run. 8 miles w/10 x 100m strides
Wednesday: Medium Run. 12 miles
Thursday: Recovery Run. 5 miles
Friday: General Aerobic Run. 10 miles
Saturday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Total: ~58 Miles
Notes. I took an extra off day on Wednesday to move the training calendar forward a day in anticipation that I wouldn’t run next Sunday because of the move.
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
It was sunny, so I assumed it would feel warmer than the 42-degree air temperature, so I didn’t dress too warmly.
Although we closed last week, my partner and I weren’t moving until the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, so I started the run from my apartment building. I ran down to the W&OD Trail and then headed uphill – barely over 10:30 pace for most of the time. I continued to the Custis Trail and ran even slower, stopping to eat a Clif Shot Energy Gel and drink water before starting the marathon-pace segment.
While the first two miles were mostly downhill, the next five miles were on the flat Mount Vernon Trail. My pace was steadily between 8:50 and 9:10 excepting the pedestrian overpass by National Airport. Even running west on the Four Mile Run Trail and into the wind, I stayed around 9:00 through the end near Barcroft Park.
My legs felt pretty good during the 1.5-mile cool-down home. After the run, I felt strong enough to spend the afternoon cleaning and decorating the new house.
Distance=10.00 miles
Pace=8:59/mile
General Aerobic Run
After a day of “rest” on Monday that involved packing and visiting the new house, I ran a relatively hard 8 miler on Tuesday with some strides at the neighborhood turf field. Then, I took Wednesday off to move the training calendar forward a day in anticipation that I wouldn’t run next Sunday because of the move.
There was a light rain but the temperature was just above freezing. I started slowly – just over 10:00 pace up to Arlington Boulevard. Then, I headed to Clarendon and then ran down Kirkwood Road. I saw a fort in a yard and thought about how my partner’s children might enjoy our yard. On the Custis Trail. After about 5 miles, my pace quickened. On the W&OD Trail, I got down to 8:25-8:45 pace.
This was a great run but I wondered if I ran too hard to be able to run long two days later.
Distance=9.88 miles
Pace=9:00/mile
Long Run
Because I was moving on Sunday, I moved my long run up a day. The evening before, I stayed at the new house past 10pm while the internet was activated. But it was Saturday so I didn’t start the run until 9:30am. The temperature was over 50 degrees but it was still overcast.
I ran easy to Crystal City and then merged onto the Mount Vernon Trail. After cresting the Humpback Bridge, I searched the ground for evidence of a recent accident when two cars went into the Potomac.
As I approached Roosevelt Island, my pace was close to 9:00.
When I reached the Custis Trail, I started the mile-long haul uphill, which I completed at 10:30 pace. On the W&OD Trail, my pace was low 9:00 on my way to Bluemont Park. I still had energy for an easy jog home rather than my typical shuffle.
Instead of resting, I spent the rest of the day packing in preparation of moving the next day!
Distance=15.65 miles
Pace=9:30/mile
Routes
“Redevelopment at Hotel Site Could Improve Arlington Boulevard Trail“, The WashCycle. Now that I’m running this trail more frequently, I will be watching this redevelopment closely. It would be nice if this section was a real trail and not a parking lot. I imagine construction would force me to the other side of the road.
News. “D.C. To Begin Long-Awaited Revamp of Rock Creek Park Bike Path“, DCist. I don’t run the Rock Creek Park Trail very often these days but this project to improve the 3.6 mile stretch north of M Street in Georgetown is exciting! Widening the trail and rehabilitating the stretch by the National Zoo will be great for D.C. area runners.
My Guide to Washington D.C. Area Running Routes
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Episode 321: Sara Hall: Winner of the Marathon Project”, Ali on the Run. Sara’s goal for the Marathon Project was to beat Deena Kastor’s American record of 2:19:36 and she missed it only narrowly. Her positive perspective on what had to be disappointing was a good reminder that, when it comes to racing, pushing yourself to achieve hard things is what really matters.
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: ?
