Road Racing & Training Thread: Week Ending 10/10/2021

Feeling good about progress. Fitness seems to be coming back, no niggles and long slowish tempo on Saturday didn't feel very difficult.

Report card for the week...

--Week 3 goals--

* Get volume up into the low 60s = 62 miles... check

* Two quality days @ 1.3x 5k keeping the pace dialed back to 6:15-6:20 = Two good workouts but a bit quick.

* No more dessert. Get weight down to 185 = Drum roll please... 184 post long run yesterday.

M - 6 @ 6:59

T - 8 @ 7:59

W - 10 @ 6:39 as 2 up + 6 @ 1.3x 5k (6:12 avg) + 1 down

Th - 8 @ 8:16

Fr - 8 @ 7:37 + 6x15s strides

Sa -14 @ 6:37 as 3 up + 9 @ 1.3x 5k (6:14 avg) + 2 down

Su - 8 @ 8:03

Total = 63 miles with change

Male, 43, 5’11”, 190 lbs

PRs: 16:43 (2019) 1:17:24 (2019), 2:47:00 (2018)

Goals: Lose weight, regain fitness

Next Goal Race: TBD

Week of 10/4 to 10/10

M - Rest

T - 4 (9:00)

W - Rest

Th - 6 (7:45). Including 3 mile progression tempo (7:24, 7:11, 7:03).

F - 4 (8:42)

Sa - 4 (7:55). Including 3 sets of “four gears” - 3 x (1:00 each at easy / moderate / tempo / hard). By feel. Averaged 8:07 / 7:05 / 6:43 / 6:31.

Su - 4 (9:25)

Weekly Total: 22 miles

2021 YTD: 1,385 miles

Hope everyone else had a great week.

Mrs. Stone’s week:

Female, 46, 5’6”

PRs: 21:06 (2020), 1:33:14 (2021), 3:13:53 (2021)

2021 TTs: 20:24, 41:42, 1:29:51

Next Goal Race: Boston Marathon (10/11/21)

Goal: 3:10:00

Week of 10/4 to 10/10

M - 5.1 (8:56)

T - 6.2 (8:58)

W - 7.2 (9:30)

Th - 6 (7:45). Including 3 mile progression tempo (7:24, 7:11, 7:03)

F - 5 (9:50)

Sa - Rest

Su - 4 (9:25)

Weekly Total: 33.5 miles

YTD Total: 2,203 miles

And then there was one day left…

RRR 6ft 175 (static week) 38.5

Upcoming

5k 10/30

5k 12/1

10k 12/0

Goal Half 1/16/22

Good week here got to 50 and going to hold until my 5k rust buster on 10/30

Sun - 3 recovery jog

Mon - 4/3 easy

Tue - 6 w fast 5x200 2 mins rest 36-34-33-33-32 + 5x15sec 100% effort hill sprints

Wed - 9 as 2E - 4 hilly MP by effort - 2 HMP by effort - 1E

Thu - 5 E

Fri - 5E

Sat - 15 total including 1:48 half marathon pacing a buddy to a 7 min PR. Good aerobic run on tired legs. Worked the expo for hours and hours the day before

50 total with some solid Q and a long run. Almost back baby.

M37, 5’10”, low 160s

2021 Bests:

30k - Cancelled

10 miles - 1:09:42 (lol)

Half - DNS ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The Before Times:

5000 - 14:36 (2005)

Half - 1:09:01 (2009)

Marathon - 2:25:14 (2019)

Upcoming: Maybe a Turkey Trot or something

Mo: 8 @ 6:51 (70 + 65)

Tu: 8 @ 6:09 (79 + 68, mostly cloudy)*

We: 8 @ 7:13 (70 + 65, overcast)

Th: 8 @ 8:12 (67 + 60, cloudy)

Fr: 8 @ 6:55 (75 + 60, cloudy)

Sa: 5 @ 8:19 (72 + 61, overcast)

Su: 8 @ 7:36 (68 + 64, overcast)

Total: 53 miles

*Might as well call it a progression run: 6:41, 6:16, 6:23, 6:10, 6:07, 6:02, 5:56, 5:36

Watching the Chicago Marathon this morning reminds me that it’s been 2 years since I’ve “seriously” trained for something. Yikes. I really want to try to run a marathon next spring if I can pull it off.

The Stone Cutter wrote:

…

And then there was one day left…

Best of luck to her!

another solid 60 mile week in the books for me. feeling good and ready for the weather to cool off a bit. that's gonna feel incredible.

monday - 9 easy

tuesday - 9 easy

wednesday - 10 total with 4x1 mile at threshold pace. 2 minute jog rest. averaged ~5:57 only deviating by about 8 seconds. good hard-but-not-too-hard workout. i love threshold miles for that.

thursday - 8 easy

friday - 9 easy

saturday - 15 mile long run. first 10 at 8 minute pace with some guys from my club, then took off on my own for some sub-threshold stuff. heat+hills+ego turned it into more of a threshold effort, but that's ok since i was gonna take today off anyway. the last 5 were 6:30-6:40 average. it was hot, humid, and sunny.

sunday/today - off

still just planning to do my state's club XC 6K on 11/7. i would jump in some other stuff but there are basically no other competitive races in my area for the rest of the year. just gonna keep grinding as long as i feel good.

Feeling good this week, most miles in quite a while. Feeling very fit and that workout on tuesday was my best one ever followed by a good workout on friday. Excited for this 8k on saturday hoping I can drop a quite significant improvement.

Mon - 7 Miles @ 7:00

Tues - 4 WU/CD, 3-2-1 tempo (15:51-9:56-4:48)

PM: 3 Miles @ 7:00

Wed - 5 WU/CD, 4 x (4 x 300) @ 58-57-56-54 (light speed day to shake out legs and get primed for workout, not pushing at all)

Thurs - 8 Miles @ 7:09

Fri - 2.5 WU/CD, 2k tempo (6:42) + 4 x Mile w/ 2:30 min rest (5:02-5:05-5:05-5:06) + 2 x 400 (67-69)

Sat - 12 Miles @ 6:40 large rolling hills

Sun - Off

Miles: 60

Excited for this next week of training and keeping the miles at 60 for the next month before going up again.

Slow Miles, Slower Bests wrote:

Feeling good this week, most miles in quite a while. Feeling very fit and that workout on tuesday was my best one ever followed by a good workout on friday. Excited for this 8k on saturday hoping I can drop a quite significant improvement.

Mon - 7 Miles @ 7:00

Tues - 4 WU/CD, 3-2-1 tempo (15:51-9:56-4:48)

PM: 3 Miles @ 7:00

Wed - 5 WU/CD, 4 x (4 x 300) @ 58-57-56-54 (light speed day to shake out legs and get primed for workout, not pushing at all)

Thurs - 8 Miles @ 7:09

Fri - 2.5 WU/CD, 2k tempo (6:42) + 4 x Mile w/ 2:30 min rest (5:02-5:05-5:05-5:06) + 2 x 400 (67-69)

Sat - 12 Miles @ 6:40 large rolling hills

Sun - Off

Miles: 60

Excited for this next week of training and keeping the miles at 60 for the next month before going up again.

That's a really solid week. I would have to think you are looking at something in the low 25s if not sub 25 coming off that Tuesday workout.

HHW - sounds like a productive week.

Good luck to Mrs. Stone!

RRR - glad to see you posting again

Sub 6:00 - I keep thinking spring marathons are better bets than fall marathons - seem like our seasons keep getting pushed back, with April and May being cooler each year, and September and October being hotter.

Yeshua - some good work there.

Slower Miles - good luck on Saturday!

***

Female, 47, 5'4", 108

PRs 5:25/18:51/38:56/1:02:28/1:24:08/2:57:42

Upcoming races: Columbus Half-Marathon (October 17), Indy Monumental Marathon (November 6)

61 miles running, 80 minutes pool-running, and 1000 yards swimming.

M: 5.5 miles (9:40), upper body weights/core, 3.5 miles (9:13) plus drills and 2 strides.

T: 4 miles, including one 800m repeat on the track in 3:11 before going home.

W: In the morning a second try at a track workout - 8 miles including 3x1K in 4:03, 4:03, 4:01. 4 miles (9:19) in the afternoon.

Th: 80 minutes pool-running and upper body weights/core.

F: 13.5 miles, including a tempo workout of 1.5 miles and 1 mile at 6:40 pace with 60 second recovery; long rest, and then 3x1 mile in 6:35, 6:31, 6:24 with 2:00-2:30 recovery between each. Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.

Sa: 8 very easy (9:16) plus drills, 2 strides, streaming yoga.

Su: 13 miles progressive, split as first 4.5 miles averaging 9:12 pace, next 4.5 miles averaging 8:01 pace, and next 4.5 miles averaging 6:54 pace, followed with cooldown jog to make 14, and then leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.

If this week looks like it was a convoluted mess, that's because it was.

I think I've mentioned before that I have some balance problems when running that are sometimes better, sometimes worse. On Tuesday, they got really bad, and I was also just struggling to see (granted - it was before sunrise on a foggy morning). I ran the first 800 of the workout and felt like I was going to faceplant so I just went home. I realized that the vision issue might be a migraine (my migraines are essentially painless, just vision loss), so I called my neurologist and got a refill on my migraine meds. Those took care of the shimmering blurry vision issue.

For the rest of the week, I was struggling - I'd feel very unstable at first, and then great by the end of the run. Friday's "workout" was odd because I felt so awful and wobbly that I bailed on the thing. Then I started feeling better, so I decided to try a threshold mile, which turned into three of them. And I felt great by the end.

After thinking about it way too much, I suspect it's that my ankles are locking up - instead of flexing through the ankle and rolling through the foot, my ankles are stuck in one position at first. When they're like that, I feel like I'm going to trip and fall with each step. Then, as I run. they release and start working more fluidly. (This is not a flexiblity/mobility issue - I'm great on that score).

So I decided to try a) doing some funny walks pre-run where I walk heel to toe and exaggerate that rolling motion; and b) really thinking about that rolling motion in my feet any time I felt unstable. This seemed to help a lot, so I think that's part of the key.

I saw my neurologist on Friday and he had me do some tests - I was fine on most of them, but had a bit of trouble with one of the standing balance tests. He started me on B2 supplements and scheduled me for another EMG. In the meantime I've got a PT appointment on Tuesday to see what else I can do to manage this.

I honestly don't think this is anything serious (if it was, it wouldn't improve as I ran). My hunch is that it's just some minor nerve issues in my ankles/feet, and it's just a matter of figuring out the exact nature of the issue, and then doing the right exercises to rewire stuff so that they're working fine from the start).

Training goal is to shoot for 80’ish minutes per day. This is a typical daily target but not a hard rule.

*- Treadmill (none this week)

Mon - Rest

Tues #1 - 51 min @ 6:54 (148 bpm)

Tues #2 - 29 min @ 6:59 (148 bpm)

Wed - 80 min @ 7:02 (146 bpm)

Thurs - 82 min @ 6:59 (150 bpm)

Fri #1 - 56 min @ 6:35 (152 bpm)

Fri #2 - 26 min @ 6:31 (153 bpm)

Sat - 46 min @ 6:34 (160 bpm)

Sun - 2 Hours / 17.3 Miles @ 6:56 (152 bpm)

Total Miles - 71.8

Total Duration - 8:12

Ready to race.

Male, 25, 5’8", 131lbs

PRs: Half Marathon: 1:24:37 (2021), Marathon: 2:55:54 (2021)

Next Races: Columbus Marathon (10/17/2021)

Future Goals: 50km/50m Road Roace, Sub 5-Minute Mile, Collaborate w/ Local Breweries for a brewery-to-brewery 5k.

Monday = Rest

Tuesday = PM Run: 10 Miles - 7:33

Wednesday = AM Run: AM Run:6.1 Miles - 8:02, PM Workout: 9.8 Miles =3 up - 7:20, 3x1 Miles (5:56, 5:51, 5:56) w/ 2 min jog (7:40,7:51,7:45), 3 down - 7:35

Thursday = PM Run: 12 Miles - 7:33

Friday = PM Run: 6.1 Miles - 7:58

Saturday = AM Long Run Workout: 14 Miles - 7:08 = 4 Up -> 4 @ 6:27-6:22 -> down to 14

Sunday = AM Run: 10.2 Miles - 7:32

Male, 31, 5’8”, 149 lbs.

PRs: 2:14, 4:51, 17:17, 36:50, 1:19:48

Upcoming races: 10k on 10/16, 6k XC on 10/31, 5k Turkey Trot on 11/25, 5k on 12/5

Goals: 35:XX 10k, defend my 2019 Turkey Trot win

M - 4.3 @ 7:47

T - 1.1 up, relay workout with the club, 1.1 down

W - 6.5 @ 8:09

Th - 1.8 @ 7:29 with 4 strides, 5 x 1000 (3:22, 3:23, 3:23, 3:29, 3:19) with 400 jog, 2.0 @ 7:49

F - Off

Sa - 12.0 @ 7:45

Su - 8.1 @ 7:55

Tuesday's workout was 8 x ~0.27 miles at mile effort (4:55-5:23 pace) with equal time rest, but as part of a four-person relay team. The first two people on each team run in opposite directions around a loop until they meet, then turn around and run back the start. Then the other two teammates run while the first pair rests. Faster and slower runners were paired so that each pair completed the loop in roughly the same amount of time.

Thursday's workout was great until I got a side stitch during the 4th 1000. I walked it off (too long a rest, but oh well) and finished #5 with no difficulty.

Weekly Total: 43 miles

YTD Total: 2033 miles

Good luck to Mrs. Stone at Boston tomorrow.

M62, 5'11", 180 lbs

Week Two of my latest "restart," after a month-long break. Last week, the first 4-mile effort left me sore for days. Muscle soreness, like after a marathon. Crazy! Nov 25 will be first race in 26 months -- 4.4-mile Turkey Trot.

OCT 4-10, 2021

Mon - Off

Tues - 4.0 miles (9:30, 9:17, 8:46, 7:39)

Wed - Off

Thur - Off

Fri -- 10.0 miles (@8:49/mi out, 8:40/mi back)

Sat -- Off

Sun -- 4.0 miles (9:48, 8:47, 8:26, 7:55)

TOTAL: 18.0 MILES

Very happy to be sub-9 pace for Friday's "long run." Resulting knee pain made for difficult sleep, but I managed through without drugs.

Be well, friends!

Mrs Stone: Good luck tomorrow!

RRR: Lookin' good

Average: Enjoy a week's taper, and best wishes at the marathon

darkwave: Convoluted or not, really solid work -- you'll have a great HM

Everyone: Keep on keepin' on. Always inspiring to follow the training. Have a great week.

I've seen some Chicago results and I hope those guys are celebrating their good work on a tough weather day.

Go get it, Mrs Stone! Have a blast!

Male, 53 yo, 5’7”, 142 lbs

Goals:

Short term: Continue extending the long runs; Don’t do anything stupid

Longer Term (though not so long-term anymore): 12/19 Taipei Marathon

Strava Relative Effort Past 4 Weeks

304 | 229 | 395 | 375

HRV: Month: 41: This Week: 29.4

About 75 km running

Mon: Rest

Tue: 10k easy, and a little bit of trail

Wed: 9km E + 3 (4min I / 3 min recovery) + 4 (1 min R / 2 min recovery) + 3km CD

Thu: 5k Recovery

Fri: 9k Easy but stiff and sore

Sat: 10k Easy and feeling good

Sun: 23k long run; got it done but never felt comfortable

Volume and effort about the same as last week, but the Wednesday workout really kicked my ass, I guess. Took more out of me than I expected. HRV was way down compared to my rolling monthly average, and it definitely felt that way. Day off on Monday and see how I feel on Tuesday.

This is probably going to be my peak volume for this cycle, unless I suddenly start feeling really really good. So, as my long run ramps up, I may take an extra day off occasionally... fewer runs but more volume per run. We’ll see.

Age 26, 185 lbs

PR's (all 2009 except 5 mi)

1 mi - 4:52 / 2 mi - 10:01 / 5k - 17:01 / 5 mi - 30:01 (2016)

Current plan: Pfitz base build to 45, then move to a 5k plan or continue building up to 60 mpw.

Upcoming races:

10k 1 week out, 4 mile trail 11/6, 5 mile turkey trot 11/25

Short term goals:

Increase cadence. - without metronome I've bumped from 158 to 162. Running with a metronome at 170 SPM is feeling much better.

Long term goals: Break 5K PR, sub 3 marathon.

Mon: rest

Tue: 6 (9:35)

Wed: rest - travelling for work training, late night go-karting with coworkers

Thur: 6 (9:09) w/ 6 hill strides. Drank way too much thur night with coworkers then chased an old flame around until 2 am. Bad idea!!!

Fri: rest... hungover with 4 drunken hours of sleep. Travelled back home arriving at midnight. Not proud of thur night haha.

Sat: 5k race - 19:24! 7 total.

Sun: 9 (9:36) Feeling pretty beat up from race but caught up on some sleep.

Total: 28 miles.

I am pretty happy with the race, but at no point did I feel strong or "settled in". Looking forward to upcoming races with some more experience and fitness under my belt. I think the 10k next weekend will show a better picture of my fitness as the Vdot paces from the 19:24 look too fast for me.

F44

Upcoming race: Oct 17 marathon

Taper time blues, but otherwise ....

Mo: 5.1mi easy, legs tired from weekend. Warm and sticky out ...

Tu: 5.3mi easy

We: 7.3mi (1E + 5M +1E) Legs were not very spry and I started out the M block a little too fast, but just wanted a workout to keep the feeling of race pace fresh in mind

Th: 0mi

Fr: 6.2mi easy, after a day off I felt like I could run this easy pace all day long, very comfortable

Sa: 11mi (5E + 5M + 1E). Again just wanted a few miles at race pace to stay familiar with it. Not too many miles, but enough.

Su: 5.4mi easy, really easy.

Total: 40.3

One week to go, looking forward to the race. I just hope the weather cools it and goes back to October-style. It's been warmish and humid and I don't do well racing in that anymore, I know how that story ends and it's not great. Forecast looks good as of now (overnight low of 42, high of 65, not too windy) so fingers crossed.

Good luck to Mrs Stone today!

Hello everybody,

I hope anybody that ran Chicago had a great race, and the same to anybody running Boston right now.

Here was the week:

Monday- 13.51 miles 1'19"04 (5:51 avg).

Tuesday- 13.50 miles 1'20"36 (5:58 avg).

Wednesday- 14.02 miles 1'26"40 (6:10 avg).

Thursday- 14.20 miles 1'31"54 (6:28 avg).

Friday- 14.02 miles 1'29"07 (6:21 avg).

Saturday- 15.01 miles 1'36"32 (6:25 avg).

Sunday- 13.51 miles 1'26"53 (6:25 avg).

Wednesday to Sunday were all hilly runs, so the pace was off a bit.

97.7 on the week and 4,589 feet of gain.

3814.0 on the year. Have a good one all.