Ive been busy and just started catching up on this thread. I guess this is to be expected as a fellow Daniels follower, but I completely agree with Smoove on most of the debates on this thread. A friend who I coach told me that Smoove is reading my mind.
This cycle has been different than previous ones. Previously I saw steady improvement throughout the 18 weeks leading up to a race, but also had a lot of inconsistency between workouts. This time I was very consistently hitting workouts at a 2:41-2:43 level for a few weeks with very little improvement. Then it all came together and Ive been relatively consistently hitting 2:33-2:35 type workouts. I'm racing New York in the fall, so if we get decent weather at Boston I'll be chasing the sub-elite mark for NYCM of 2:35.
Since my last post with a weekly summary and quality workouts:
Week ending 1/21 - 58 miles total, recovering from the 5 hour mountain run the week before, caught up with work and then a bout of food poisoning.
Skipped mid week workout.
22 with 8m, 1t, 5m, 1t, 1m. 6:38s for m and 6:21s for t, 500 ft of climbing in tempo portion
Week ending 1/28 - 83 miles total
16 miles easy tuesday
3 x 3 mile at T on the track (3 min rest, 6:00s, 6:04s, 6:14s and stopped at 2 miles)
21 miles with two 5 mile tempos up a 1400 ft climb, averaged about 7:50 pace
Week ending 2/4 - 90 miles total
16 miles easy tuesday
5 x 1 mile at I on the track (4 min rest, 5:26s consistently)
24 easy, very icy, 1000 ft of climbing, 7:46 pace
Week ending 2/11 - 83 miles total
18 easy tuesday
17 with 12 @M at sea level (travelling for work, 6:11 average)
20 with 6m, 1t, 6m back at altitude (6:11s, 5:42 for T) This is where the breakthrough happened
Week ending 2/18 - 82 miles total
17 easy tuesday
on the track, 4@t (557, 553, 547, 548) 4' rest, 3@t (549, 549, 551) 3' rest, 2@t (546, 547), 2' rest, 1@t (540)
Sunday half marathon that went really bad, didnt taper much, had deep massage the night before and was sore, crazy wind and 550 ft of climbing, 1:23:30.
Week ending 2/25 - 55 miles total, took two days off to recover a bit from the crappy half and get my legs under me rather than run in 10 degrees snow and ice.
3 x mile 4 minute rest, 3 x 1k 2 min rest on treadmill (0% grade), 513, 511, 508, 310, 309, 308
23 easy, 1300 ft of climbing, pavement, 7:14 pace
Week ending 3/4 - 97 miles
17 easy tuesday
18 with 13@m down lefthand canyon, starting at 8100 ft and ending at 5600 ft, 5:42 average (downhill allowed for faster than sea level pace)
22 with 8m, 1t, 5m, 1t, 1m. Bailed after 12 of tempo, quads not recovered from thursdays workout. A bit disappointed as this has usually been a good workout and indicator of fitness in the past. Friend I coach had the same experience, live and learn.
Week ending 3/11 - 75 miles, day off and an easy 6 tuesday to recover from horrible workout on 3/4
4@t, 4' rest, 3@t, 3' rest, 2@t, went on feel with 50ft of climbing per mile and 40 mile per hour wind gusts, still felt sluggish
23 total - 3e, 4t, 10e, 3t, 3e. 1000 ft of climbing, first tempo averaged 551s with 80ft of elevation change. Second was like smoove describes, closer to m pace despite t effort, averaged 610s with 120ft of elevation change.
Current - 97 in last 7 days
18 easy yesterday
Other than the half and the workout on March 4, Im consistently well ahead of where I was a year ago, when I ran 2:39:30. Really hoping for good weather so I can chase a 2:35.