Road Racing and Training Thread, Week Ending 2/18/2018

STonecutter,

I like the 7 mile alternating pace run; several on the thread have talked about learning to "Recover" at marathon race pace. I too hope that works!

My week:

Today: 6 recovery

2/17: 19miles. First half at 720ish pace, second half at 645ish

2/16: 8am, 3 pm. All easy

2/15: 8 am, workout. 3.5 miles at 533 pace, alternating between 555 and 505 pace each 6oo meters, 5 PM, easy

2/14:8 easy

2/13: 8 easy am, 3 easy pm

2/12: 8 mile, 6 mile fartlek in the middle,

76 total, a new record.

47m 5-11 195

New PRs: 8:24(m) 30:24(5k)1:02(10k) I reset my watch. Oh and found it.

Goal 4/28 Half. A:sub 1:30 B:sub 1:45

M: 90min 8.7 easy

T: 60min 5.9

W: 60min 6.1 w 45m 3/3s

T: 60min 5.9

F: 60min 5.8 w 20m 2/2s

S: Off

S: 60min 5.8?

Should be 38.2 for the week.

M38. Boston. 2:40-2:45. #stoprupp

My marathon progression:

Feb. 2009 - 3:32 (pure pain)

Feb. 2012 - 3:20

Feb. 2013 - 3:00 (first BQ)

Apr. 2014 - 3:31 (first Boston, hit wall hard)

Feb. 2015 - 2:49

Oct. 2015 - 2:46 (Chicago)

Feb. 2016 - 2:42 (current PR)

Nov. 2016 - 2:47 (NYC)

Apr. 2017 - 2:47 (Boston)

Oct. 2017 - 2:45 (Chicago)

Last 3 attempts have been torpoeded by weather conditions and nagging overuse injuries (achilles, left calf, right calf)

My week:

M: 10 easy

T: 10 easy

W: 4 x mile at 5k pace w 800 jog rest: 5:19, 5:20, 5:22, 5:23. 9 total

Th: 10 easy

F: 10 easy

S: 6.5 easy, 3 tempo (avg 5:48), 6.5 easy, 3 tempo (avg 5:48), 1 easy - 20 total

S: 11 easy (so far)

Total: 80 miles

Solid week. Thought about taking a down week after a sluggish M run last Sunday morning, but my legs felt really good Monday night so I forged ahead. Wednesday was a good solo effort in wet conditions. Yesterday’s 20 mile TLT was a hilly route w the first 3 mile tempo a significant uphill and the last 3 mile tempo a massive downhill. It felt like cheating but it was probably good prep for Boston. The grind continues...

Alternations for the win!!

My week:

M - 4 am / 8 pm

T - 4 am / 16 pm w/60s surge to ~MP at start of miles 9-15

W - 3.5 am / 7.5 pm

T - 4 am / 12 pm w/2 miles @HMP / 8 x 10s hill sprints

F - 2 am / 10 pm

S - 24 (2:38:04 - 6.35avg)

S - 6am / 6 pm

Total: 108

Positives: another solid mileage week to add to the last 5 (90; 100; 97; 88 (3 days easy); 103 previously). This is the first week I haven't felt super-tired or ill or close to being ill since NY, and my body/legs felt relaxed the whole time. The 24 miler was a great experience - first time this far in road shoes, so went out easy with no time goal,trying to let the pace happen naturally without pushing. The first 10 miles were the easiest of the week, and up to 16 was stress-free. Thought things were going to get difficult quickly at 19/20, but it never happened and the last 5 went 6.16/6.17/6.11/6.11/6.10 without any intention. Thanks for the thoughts from some of you last week on nutrition - 2 slices of jammy toast and strong coffee 2hrs before, a gel at 10, a bottle of Lucozade from 16 onwards, and all was well. That whole run was a joyful experience - felt weirdly peaceful, which lasted the rest of the day as well.

Frustrations: lack of speed. Anything above HMP feels hard. I guess it's not surprising given that I haven't really targeted it since late summer, but 5/10k pace (and more so endurance) from the summer seems a distant memory! Thursday's run out was meant to get into 10k pace after a couple at HMP, but the route I was on was pitch black, and after nearly getting flattened by a cyclist without lights I lost my nerve. Anyone have any opinions on adding some faster stuff? (was thinking along the lines of the Blend workouts that Magness uses quite a bit)

Good weeks, guys.

Stone Cutter - Good work with the 17.5 miler. Thanks for including the details, esp. your overall pace. Sounds like a tough run—good for you. You took a different approach than I, but my long run this week is similar in overall time...2:02:57 for 18.25 miles (6:44 overall pace). My run was fairly windy as well.

AJ - Glad your legs felt good...nice volume...nice 20-miler...you are definitely getting there.

About me...

49, male

looking to PR at Shamrock in four weeks

PR is from Richmond 2017, 2:52:30

My week...

Wanted to give the knee a break, and so I ran five days this week (extra rest day on Wednesday)

M: 10.5 at 6:28 overall pace...finished 6:25, 6:11, 6:06, 5:54, 2:51

T: 11.25 at 6:39 overall...6:21, 6:06, 1:30

W: off (extra rest)

T: 12.25 at 6:32 overall...hilly and crazy weather...75 degrees!...finished 6:24, 6:06, 5:52, 1:30

F: 9.13 at 6:33 overall...6:21, 6:17, 6:12...tough day at work

Sat.: 18.25 at 6:44 overall...hilliest route...some wind...good, steady run, but right calf ached in last four miles, and thus I did not wind it up at the end...finished 6:26, 6:29, 6:33, 6:31, 1:31

61 miles in five runs

Have a great week, everyone!

Good steady efforts all around. Glad that long run went well.

Okay, middling week for me. Was supposed to be at 90 miles (my peak mileage) for 2nd of 3 times this cycle. Ankle tendinitis forced me to take off Thursday and forced me to stick with mostly easy running, skipping my workout.

M - 11 easy

T - 11 easy AM; 5 easy PM

W - 11.25 easy

Th - off

F - 10.5 easy

Sa - 12 easy

Su - 21 on rolling clay loop, finishing with a moderate 4 miles at 6:10 or so average pace (accommodating a pro triathlete friend)

81.75 on 6 days instead of 90 on 7 days. Not terrible given the scare the ankle gave me. Plus, I'm already fit enough to achieve my Boston goal, now the key is to stay healthy and just get a little bit of race prep in - still time to do it, but not much room for more missed workouts.

I think that while the chronic tendinitis is still there, the acute pain was the result of the trainers I was wearing. Bought some Mizunp Wave Inspires and they don't rub on my ankle as much, resulting in less acute pain.

Missed out on my first 13 at marathon pace, but I honk I'm going to run Gasparilla at marathon pace next weekend to make it up and hen juggle things around a little.

What and when is your goal race?

too hot wrote:

What and when is your goal race?

London Marathon - 22 April

Bobo_UK wrote:

too hot wrote:

What and when is your goal race?

London Marathon - 22 April

Best of success to you in London...great race, fast course...would love to run it, but I doubt I will...

Bobo, given the amount and quality of your mileage leading up to London I would not mess around with 5K/10K pace work at this point. Just my opinion.

M58, 5'11" 172 lbs

Background

Open PRs (1982) -- 16:04 5K, 2:40:30 marathon

Masters PRs (2003) -- 17:10 5K, 2:56:03 marathon

Most recent (2017) -- 18:58 5K, 3:07:23 marathon

Goals

Aug 2018 -- Defend M55-59 title in 15K

Oct 2019 -- 3:00 marathon age 60

Training status: Injury rehab, mileage build

Feb 12-18, 2018

Mon -- Off

Tue -- 7.7 miles @ 8:39/mi (roads)

Wed -- 6.9 miles @ 8:26/mi (roads)

Thu -- 4.0 miles @ 9:09/mi (roads)

Fri -- 2 x 20 mins elliptical; 20 mins treadmill

Sat -- 7.9 miles @ 8:13/mi (roads)

Sun -- 4.0 miles @ 8:19/mi (roads)

WEEK TOTAL: 30.5 MILES

I'm continuing on the slow road to recovery. Honestly, it's discouraging how slow the process seems to be this time around. Weekly mileage progression has been 6, 8, 21, 23, 28, 30.

I tried the treadmill for 20 minutes on Friday. By setting the incline at 8 percent, I was able to wear my bulky 12mm-drop shoes while maintaining a comfortable gait. I normally train in a 3mm-drop shoe.

As a mini fitness test, the last mile of today's 4-miler was a near all-out effort -- 6:52. Ha! That's goal marathon pace. So, I have 19 months to extend that another 25 miles ... while defying the continued ravages of old age.

As per Stone Cutter’s introduction, some more about me...

5’6”, 125

...also, got my bib number for Shamrock...will be wearing number 34...I love it—this is the first time I will be a two-digit guy... :-)

Allen - Bless you for your dedication and perseverance! I know it is a grind, but know that I am rooting for you. I am confused about your master’s marathon PR...I thought it were 2:54:xx? Thought I read that in one of your previous posts.

All the best to you...

outsiderunner wrote:

Allen - Bless you for your dedication and perseverance! I know it is a grind, but know that I am rooting for you. I am confused about your master’s marathon PR...I thought it were 2:54:xx? Thought I read that in one of your previous posts.

OR -- Ah, yes, that was a typo! 2:56:03 is the correct time.

Although .... I believe I was in much better condition than that time would indicate. I hadn't run a serious marathon in a while, and was overly conservative. Also, during the race, a young guy was trying to hang with me, shooting for a sub-3. As he struggled, I backed off to help pull him along ... until I got nervous about not breaking 3 myself!

And, speaking of typos, Friday's 7.9-miler was at 9:40/mi pace, not 8:13 or whatever I erroneously picked up with a cut-and-paste! I WISH I could run close to 8-flat for 8 miles right now.

Smart of you to take an additional day off. I am looking forward to your upcoming marathon results.

Impressive weeks guys. You're giving me some good workout ideas.

32M 4/29 HM

M-5

T-5

W-6x1k(347,351,349,350,354,353)3min jog. 10 total

T-7

F-20min tempo(633,627,630,:30 for .08) 6x200(43,43,41,41,42,42) 200m jog. 9 total

Sun-15

Great week for me. I continue to hit my workout goals and body feels fine. Gonna pull off a touch this week just to be safe. Have a great week all.

Bobo - My two cents: MP would feel easier if you spent more time running faster than MP. Try some cruise intervals like 6-8 x mile w 1 min rest at 10k pace. Or maybe 3x2 miles or 2x3 miles between 10k and HMP with 2-4 min rest. A lot of folks would say you don’t need much 5k pace work at this point. Personally I plan to keep doing 5k stuff as I get closer to Boston because (1) i’m trying to mix stuff up from prior builds (2) it worked in my Houston half build and (3) I’m trying to train what I perceive to be my weakness.

Bobo- big weeks. I have a hard time even hitting half marathon pace on tempo workouts in the midst of that kind of volume. If I come down for a week, it comes back... but sometimes it’s not worth coming down.

Angry Johnny- I like that split tempo workout.

Stone- two of my favorite workouts. good things ahead.

Smoove- for me the turns on a track can be an issue for the peroneal tendons. Not sure if that might be part of it. Also camber of the road. Hope that it is feeling better soon.

Pappy and Allen- playing the long game with expertise I see.

training-

goals 15:3x 5k April 14, sub 2:30 marathon in the fall

*m- AM- 4k continuous alternating 400s at 1:25 and 1:15. (on the track, very windy) PM- 4.5

t- 8.5 with light fartlek and surges

*w- 12 steady @5:58 pace, decent conditions, gently rolling route

th- 8/4.5

f- AM- 9 w/ 8 x 100m strides in 16-17” PM- 4.5

*s- AM- 6 x mile on the road, avg. 5:28, 2:30 jog rec PM-4.5

su- 7

80 miles for the week

things are about to get real as i transition out of this base phase and into more 5k specific work.

Slo-twitch

Between 12 @558 and that 75/85 workout, you've got to be feeling REALLY confident about a 153x 5k....seems like it is there for the taking.

Bdubs- thanks man. I’m hopeful about it. My 5k pr is only 15:55, but I’ve cut about 1:20 off my half marathon time since then... So, while I don’t have a ton of speed (5:00 pace feels really fast right now), I think it’s possible to drop the time. BAA 5k is definitely a fast course to do it on. Good luck with the marathon build.