Marathon Training Thread - Week Ending 2/20

Shamrock Marathon

Sub 2:19

Monday: 12 miles easy

Tuesday: 14 miles easy

Wednesday: 14 miles with 8 x 1k+ 4 x400 (avg 3:01,68)

Thursday: 14 miles easy

Friday: Off

Saturday: 14 miles easy

Sunday: 22 miles easy with 10 x 1 min pick ups

Good Week of Training, nasty weather made it tough to get out and stay motivated. Hope to hear everyone had a great week also.

Couple of very impressive weeks there brumrunner and bulldog.

M - 10M @ 7:35m/m

T - 10M @ 7:29m/m

W - 14M @ 7:00m/m (incl. 2 x 3M @ 5:55m/m)

T - 10M easy (no Garmin)

F - a.m. 8M @ 7:18m/m (incl. 4 hill sprints + 4 strides); p.m. 5M @ 7:53m/m

S - 6M @ 7:51m/m

S - 18M @ 6:33m/m (5M steady, 12M progression: 6:36m/m - 6:01m/m, 1M easy)

Did the first couple of sessions in 20+ weeks. Was nice to see a few sub-6 miles on Weds but think I was still a bit jet-lagged. Felt really good on today's run, so guardedly optimistic that I might be able to get back into some sort of shape before too long.

Meant to say congrats on the win too brumrunner, great going especially on the back of a big week with plenty of quality in it. Looking very good for London.

Race - Garry Bjorcklund Half

Goal - Sub 70:00

S - 9.2 @ 6:48 pace

M - 6 @ 6:46 pace

T - 7.75 @ 6:25 pace; 5x3 min hard, 2 min easy fartlek

W - 7.1 @ 6:31 pace

T - 7.1 @ 6:54 pace (same run as day before just easier)

F - 7.75 @ 6:50 pace

S - OFF

Total - 44.9 @ 6:42 pace avg

Pretty good first real week of training with just under 4 months to go till race time. I'm looking at a few races before but not until at least April.

Brhrunner- That is one heck of an impressive week. Two solid workouts, a 5k win, and 90mi. Looking good for London.

Bulldog- Nice work. It can be tough getting in the mileage this time of year.

Marmite- Wow, those are some impressive workouts. Especially considering they are your first ones in 20 weeks.

Goal Race: Boston

Goal Time: sub-2:33

M- off (planned)

Tu- 13.5 (7:02)

W- 12 (6:31 - 5x1mi w/3min jog recovery on the roads- 526,525,523,518,509)

Th- 10 (7:20)

F- 11.5 (7:29)

Sa- off (sore rt. ankle)

Su- off (sore rt. ankle)

Tot- 47mi/4d

A bit of a hiccup in the training this week. Ever since the workout on the indoor track last week the outside of my right ankle has been bothering me. Since then it has slowly gotten worse and it began to "click" after my workout on Wednesday. Although I can still run on it b/c it is only dull pain, I figured I should give it 3 days off and try to treat it before it gets any worse.

Has anyone ever had a similar problem? The pain is in front of the fibula (nub of the ankle) around where the foot flexes. It seems to be some sort of tendonitis and I believe it has led to pain in my middle toes. Sorry for the poor explanation.

Goal Race: Chicago

Goal Time: 2:28??

Next Race: Gasparilla 15k (48:20 goal)

brumrunner - Excellent week! Awesome 5k, and to do a long run like that the day after a 5k shows the type of shape you're in right now...keep it up!

Abu - Sounds....interesting. The only type of pain I've had in that area is after turning my ankle really bad on some trails. I've never had something like that show up after track workouts. I guess it was the tight turns of the track that caused it? All I can say is that there are tons of bones, tendons, muscles, etc. down there and everything seems to be connected. So it's not surprising to hear that it's affected your toes as well. The only real advice I have is to ice.

For those that remember I had a 5k this weekend. Here's a brief report of how the race went for me.

My plan was to go out with the leaders and try to hold on and sneak into a victory. Went through the first mile in 4:49 in 3rd place with 2nd running just in front of me and 1st about 5 seconds in front of us...and went through 2 miles in 9:45 now in 2nd place.

Someone (his name is Nick) comes up and passes us just before 2 miles and I go with him, we've passed everyone else now running shoulder to shoulder with a 1/2 mile to go. With a little under 800me to go, I decide to put some distance in between myself and Nick because I know I'm not going to have a kick. Unfortunately, I can only put a few meters between us....and came through 3 miles in 14:38, he blows by me and I have nothing to respond and he wins over me by a mere 2 seconds. At the finish I'm completely spent, but also completely stoked. It's the first time I've ever come to the finish of a 5k and had the numbers 14:xx in sight....I knew I wasn't going to break 15 that race, but it tells me it's certainly within reach.

Final Splits: 4:49, 4:57, 4:51, :31

Total Time: 15:09 (4:52 avg)

Anyway, here's my week:

M: am - 8 easy (7:21) / pm - 4 easy (7:20)

Tu: am - 10 w/ random fartlek (6:41) / pm - 6 easy (7:32)

W: 10 easy (7:18)

Th: am - 7 total w/ 8 minute drill (8 x 200 going every minute...avg 33 seconds) / pm - 4 easy (7:27)

F: am - 6 easy (7:37) / pm - 4 easy (7:30)

Sa: 10 total, 3 w/u, 5k race (2nd OA in 15:09), 4 c/d

Su: 16 easy (6:46)

Weekly Total - 85 miles

YTD - 460 miles

pablo- Congrats on an impressive 5k! 15:09 on the roads is no joke. That is under your track PR, right?

Brumrunner- Sorry for butchering your name.

Nice job pablo! Great weeks everyone else.

Goal Race: Boston

Goal Time: 2:48

I have a pretty good week. Feel like I'm rounding into shape with 8 weeks + 1 day to go. I got to run outside M-F. Just too windy out yesterday and today to do it.

M am: 6.16 @ 8:16

M pm: 4.84 @ 8:26 TM

T am: 11 @ 7:12 with 5 @ 6:18 (It was really, really windy out for this, 25-40 mph)

T pm: 4 @ 8:31 TM

W am: 15.03 @ 7:47

W pm: 5 @ 8:25 TM

R am: 7 @ 8:21

R pm: 5 @ 8:25 TM

F: 14 @ 7:33

S: 10 @ 7:48 TM

S: 18 @ 7:00 TM. 1st 8 @ 7:46 last 10 @ 6:22

Tot: 100.03

First 100 mile week since last January. Wanted to run outside this AM, but it was 18F, 30-40 mph winds and WC was 0F. I don't think that would have been a quality workout so ran inside on the TM instead. Next week is a cutback to 86 miles.

Abu Seyame wrote:

pablo- Congrats on an impressive 5k! 15:09 on the roads is no joke. That is under your track PR, right?

Yes, my previous track PR (and overall 5k PR) was 15:13 set almost 4 years ago. It feels great to breaking collegiate PRs.

Goal: 2:50

Race: Gansett

My post is following some other pretty impressive reports. Nice job everyone. Excellent 5k brumrunner and Pablo! A good sign to be able to pop off races like that in the middle of distance training.

Mon - 5am/5pm (both easy 7:35-40's)

Tue - 10.5 (Cut down run. 6 in about 44 followed by 2@13 and 2@12:30 to finish.)

Wed - 15 (moderate - 7:15's)

Thurs - 6 (easy 7:40's)

Fri - 13 (ist 5@7 then eased up a bit.)

Sat - 6.5 (7:40ish - included 8x100)

Sun - 17.5 (1st 6@7:08's last 6@6:59. Avg for the whole run about 7:08)

78.5 for the week. 2nd highest week ever - Only other higher week was a week that included a Sun. long run that got pushed back to Mon. Came out of it feeling pretty good and my ankle/heel still going the right direction.

Nice 5ks out there, wow!

Another - solid week. You are really rounding into shape.

As for myself, i haven't been as diligent and things are not going so well. I missed today's long run. It was too windy and rainy out there. I went to the track in the morning to do a Tempo-Easy-Tempo long run workout and stopped after 3M because the wind had me running in place. Waited all day for a break in the weather, no luck. I decided i would go with the GF to her gym and do a TM workout -- that didn't happen. Maybe i will make up the lost mileage on Monday.

Goal: London in 2:56 or just PR

M: 5.5 @ 8:50

T: 12 @ 7:23 with last 7 @ 7:06

W: 3.5 easy / 11 @ 7:28 inc 7:11, 7:07, 7:06

R: 6.5 easy / 3 easy

F: 6 @ 8:13 tired

S: off

S: 3 easy / cancelled LR

Week total: 50.5

Bit tired after Tues and Wed progression runs. Not sure why.

I wore a backpack (with work clothes) for those runs (i ran to my hotel from work). First time i have ever done that, i wonder if that had some negative impact. Those 2 runs felt good but i felt tired the next few days so i decided to take off Saturday. Then the weather killed Sunday. Arghhh!

I really hope to crank it up the next 2 weeks or else this marathon is not going to be pretty.

Pablo, awesome man. Can't believe you bounced back from both marathons so well. Amazing.

Marmite, you're getting back man. Solid week!

Goals: 1:13:00 - 1:13:59 and 2:37:00 - 2:39:59

Races: NYC half and Boston marathon

Mon: 6

Tue: 12/ am: 6, pm: 6

Wed: 15/ am: 9, pm: 6

Thur: 17/ am: 5, pm: 3.5 up, 3x2m with 2:00 rest, 2.5 down. 2 miles in 12:00/11:40/11:20. Solid workout. This was over the first 6 miles of the NYC half course. The 2nd 2 miles is rolling and the 3rd is really tough. Those familiar with central park, last one started about 1/3 of the way up Harlem hill and ended a little past engineers gate. About the hardest stretch in the park you can have.

Fri: 14: am: 7, pm: 7

Sat: 10

Sun: 19. Wanted to do 13 at mp, but did a point to point (incidentally backwards over the wine glass marathon course). Wind was in my face for 19 miles and after a couple of near all out 6:10s just ran the rest easy. Probably averaged about 6:50 and it was hard with that wind.

Total Milege: 95'ish

Overall solid week, but wanted that workout today. Just had to bag it with the wind, though. Also wanted 5 more miles, but had to cut Tuesday short for family issues and never got my second run in on mon. Still, another solid week with a great Wednesday workout.

Goal Race: Boston

Goal Time: 2:30

M - 10 easy

T - 6 easy AM 8 easy PM

W - 6 easy AM 10 w/ 5 mile "comfortably hard" in 28:00 PM

T - 8 easy AM 4 easy PM

F - 8 easy AM 4 easy PM

S - 6 recovery

S - 18 progression run, last 6 miles in 35

Total - 90 miles

YTD - 510 miles

First week with any kind of real workout or hard long run, felt good. Next week will start 7 weeks at 100+ so that should be interesting and I'm going to do a time trial 5000 on the track next Saturday to get a guage on where I am speed wise.

Great running everyone!

Goal 2:26

Sun - 9 miles easy with strides

Mon - 12 miles easy

Tues - 2 mile warmup, 800 2:26, 6xmile 5:18, 5:19, 5:21, 5:18, 5:19, 5:19 800 jog cooldown, 3.5 mile cooldown (15)

Wed - 5 miles easy, 8 miles easy (13)

Thur - 11.5 miles with 5x30 sec fartlek

Fri - 7 miles easy

Sat - 2.5 mile warmup, 20k tempo 69:44 (34:54, 34:50) 5:36 avg. 1/2 mile cooldown, evening 3miles easy (19)

Total - 86.5 miles

This was a blah week of training. Struggled with some sickness throughout the week. My workout on Tuesday was supposed to be concluded with an 800 on the end but I decided to just call it a day because I wasn't feeling well at all. The 20k was extremely humid and windy but I was happy that I avg. 5:36 per mile which is Goal MP. I need to start running more mileage.

Good job to everyone's training this week it looks like people are really starting to roll!

Goal: Grandma's Marathon in 2:59/finish first marathon/stay healthy/ enjoy the sport

Mon 20 mins, 3x15 lunge, squat, deadlift,upper body, core

Tues: 30 min pool running(blaaahhh)

Wed: 20mins easy, strength work

Thurs:

Fri: 30 mins easy, strength work

Sat: x

Sun: 20mins easy

Coming off a 1.5 yr layoff due to ITBS bout. Slowly building the mileage back up to 70mpw.

Some fast races and workouts out there this week. Great job everyone.

Haven’t posted in a few weeks. I was in a bit of a rut that probably was mostly due to the weather and being overwhelmed with school work. I managed to keep my mileage up (90,90,100) but my workouts were trash. The weather was a lot better this week, and it seems like things started turning around. I am up in the air about a spring marathon again. Right now, I am leaning towards taking some time off after the nyc half to let some aches and pains fully heal and give myself a bit of a mental break before building up again for something in the fall, but I might end up changing my mind again if things keep going well. Anyway…Here was my week:

Goal Race: NYC half

Goal time: 74:30 (pr)

M: am: 7 easy/pm: 9.25 easy

T: am: 6 easy/pm: 10.25 total with 5xmile (road) (5:37 avg) .25-.30mi jog recovery

W: 11.5 easy

Th: off (planned)

Fri: 8.5

Sat: 10 mile race: 58:29 (1-5mi 29:26/6-10mi 29:03)- 14 mi total

Sun: 20 miles @ 7:14 felt surprisingly good after yesterday, but I held back a little bit to make sure I didn’t over do it the day after a race.

Total: 86.5 miles

Pretty pleased with the race. There were patches of the race when various things were bothering me..I had stomach issues around miles 2-4 and my it band started aching around mile 9, but I battled through. No one passed me after the first mile, and I moved up from somewhere around 25-30 at mile 4 to 12th at the finish. I had a big negative split on an out and back course where the way in is gradually uphill. Considering a little over a month ago I struggled to do a 5 miler in 29:45, I’m happy with today’s race. Hopefully, I keep progressing from here.

All easy runs between 7:30-8:00/mile and all running done at a mile high

Goal: Gold Coast Marathon 2:35 July

Conditions: up to 90 degrees but only 80% humidity

M - pm 11 (7:15)

T - am 13 w/3200m tempo (10:52) 8 strides and 8 400’s (74-75)

W - am 7 (7:21) - / pm 12 (7:37)

T - am 12 (7:52) w fartlec

F - am 10 (8:22) / pm 5 (8:17) turned around when I saw a brown snake (2nd most venomous in the world I think) across the trail

S - am 8 (8:24) / pm 3 very easy (poor man’s massage)

S - am 9 with 5k race (16:27) / pm 5 (7:55)

Total: 100

YTD: 765

The 5k on Sun was a local fun run organised by corporate challenge at the Runaway Bay Super Centre where a lot of international triathletes and Tanzanian runners come to train, no runners there at the moment though. The winner ran 14:24 and there were three under 15. Pablo, thanks for the confidence and giving me a goal time, great 5k too. I wanted to go out pretty hard keep it steady through the middle and see if I had anything at the end. The km splits were (3:13/20/19/22/11). I was 9th overall and was happy with the PR.

I have not run too many races in the past, but would appreciate some advice on what to schedule leading up to the marathon. So far I have:

Canberra Marathon 4/10 – training run

Noosa half 5/22

Goal: Gold Coast Marathon 7/3

When do you recommend I race in addition to this and what distance? There are enough races around that I should be able to find one at around the right time at that distance.

My training will now start to include a lot more marathon and threshold pace running. Sundays will include things like 13 miles at MP so I have been reluctant in the past to race because I don’t want to miss out on the long run. Unfortunately races are on Sundays here so that makes it more difficult.

There seems to be a lot of great racing and training happening at the moment. Keep it up!

Goals: NYC Marathon (TBD)

NYC Half (1:15 - 3/20)

4:00 (1500), 15:30, 33:00

Mon: off

Tue: 10 (7:25 w/ 4 x 100m strides)

Wed: 10 (6:36 - 6 mile progression picking it up every 2 miles - 6:11, 6:06, 5:52, 5;44, 5:23, 5:21 / 2 miles up/down)

Thu: 6.5 (7:51)

Fri: 9 (7:27 w/ 6 x 100m strides)

Sat: 9 (6:47 - 5 x mile w/ 1:30 jog rest - 5:19, 1:20...)

Sun: 15 (6:55 - long run)

Total: 59.5 miles

Saturday's workout was cut short not because of the wind, but the ice that had formed on the track. I did the first repeat slowing down on the 30m stretch of ice each lap, then started the second repeat and quit after deciding it was too dangerous. I did a few 2-4' pickups on the road the rest of the run, but it was a busted workout. It happens. At least I got in a run in shorts and a t-shirt on Friday. It felt awesome!!!

I'm starting to think I might be in shape to go faster than 1:15 in the half marathon, but going to leave that the goal for now. Nice job everyone!

pablo - I knew you were gunna run fast! Hell of a PR. Congratulations man! If I run 15:00s by the end of my spring season I'll be ecstatic!

brumrunner - Nice W dude, especially on 90 miles + workouts.

Goal Races: Ortega RR 5 miler, UNF 5000m, Gate River Run 15k

Goal Times: sub 26, sub 15:20, sub 50

Mo - 11.5am w/ 10 by 3min on/1min off / 10pm (7:13s)

Tu - 12am (7:10s) / 10pm (7:18s)

We - 7am (7:26s) / 6pm (7:05s)

Th - 10am (7:18s) / 9.5 (6:37s)

Fr - 10pm (7:01s)

Sa - 18pm (6:34s) middle 7 miles hard

Su - 8am (7:18s) / 6pm (7:11)

Total Mileage - 118

YTD - 732

Just ended my base phase of training with 3 weeks at 119, 110, and 118. Not happy to end the high mileage as I was very much enjoying it. I really don't even know how I will be able to run a 70-80 mile week this week without going crazy. I have races the next three weekends so I'll do my best to come down. 1 workout per week and one race. It's time for me to transition to the track. I have mile repeats planned this week. Here goes nothing.