Road racing and training thread - week ending 4.28

Good morning, I hope everyone had great weeks of training, races and/or slowly recovering from Boston and getting back into the swing of things. I think NumbersGuy has Gettysburg today and I forget who else is racing.

Goal: Next big marathon is Chicago. Short term I hope to pick up some speed over the summer in local 5Ks and other intermediate distance races.

Weekly: 65.5

YTD: 1226.7

M: 6 E with 6 striders (7:02)

T: 8 E (7:15)

W: 5 E AM (7:07) / 5 E PM (7:03)

T: 10 E (6:58)

F: 8 E with 6 striders (7:02)

S: 17 E (7:04)

S: 6 recovery (7:49)

Slowly getting back into the swing of things. No hard runs this week, all Easy or Recovery miles. I'm still fighting off the nagging Achilles and foot issues but they are runnable so I really can't complain. I'm hoping to help my buddy right his BQ next weekend in the NJ marathon (sub 3:10) so it will be a long training run for me if all goes well.

Also did a few core workouts and rides tossed in. I'll check back later to comment.

Goal: Still 2:4x unfortunately

Race: Pocono 5/19

Today's run kind of finished my un-taper and I did get some quality stimulus in this week. I think this coming week will be similar to the week I just finished, just more of it all. Hope everyone is well and those racing today run well.

Mon - Off (Planned)

Tues - 7.5 (Included 4x800. Had my friend doing 6x800 so I figured I'd try it and see how I felt. 2:51,:53,:50,:48. Legs felt good if a tiny bit sluggish.)

Wed - 6 (7:30 Easy)

Thurs - Off (Planned)

Fri - 8 (7:01 avg. Included 3 @ MP 6:26,:20,:22 - net slightly downhill. Also 6x100)

Sat - 5 (7:36 Easy)

Sun - 13 (7:12 avg. 1st 7 around 7:20's avg, next 3 7:05 then 6:32, 6:28 before an easy mile to finish)

39.5 for the week. Everything feels good. A little less flat on each run, so I think I'm managing the recovery/preparation pretty well. I think my shortest time between marathons previously was 5 months, so no matter how good I feel 5 weeks is going to be an interesting test.

Goal: 32:00 5k

Goal race: 2nd week of August

Week: 6

Monday: 6

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: Am: 7 + Pm: 6 = 13

Thursday: Am: 6 + Pm: 6 = 12

Friday: Am: 6 + Pm: 6 = 12

Saturday: 2wu/wd + 5k (16:35) + 1 (jog) + 5k (16:40) = 11

Sunday: 16

Total: 70

Not a bad week for me, Saturday work out was pretty fun. Two 5ks with a mile jog in between. The first was shocking smooth, I felt like I was holding back alot. The second one hurt a bit more but was still very manageable. I've never been this aerobically fit before so I'm excited to start seeing how long I can hold on at faster paces.

So I didn't exactly take the last week off like I was planning because the IT band was feeling good and there was a tempting 5k yesterday, but the break starts now :)

Also, looking forward to Numbersguy's and xenonscreams' race reports!

Mon: Off

Tue: 4 easy

Wed: 6 easy

Thu: 5 easy

Fri: 3 easy

Sat: 6 - 5k in 17:32 splits (5:30, 5:42, 6:20 last 1.1)

Sun: Off

Total: 24

Not taking a break paid off with a big PR and 3rd place in the 5k. I went out based on feel and didn't look at my watch for the first mile. There was a guy at the mile marker that commented on the time, but I didn't know if he was correct so I stayed relaxed and kept pushing. The second mile was a little hillier and the volunteer at the second marker called out a time that didn't make sense so I had to check. Saw 11:12 and knew I was in for a painful last mile, but I still felt reasonable. The muscles started to feel the lactic buildup and I was just trying to hold it together nearing the finish. A well put on race and I'm happy to finally break 18!

Hello everyone!

I raced yesterday, did 1:26:52 in a local Half marathon in Brooklyn.

Splits: 6:42, 39, 34, 32, 31, 34, 34, 34, 33, 39, 58, 46, 6:24 x 1.1 mile

I was shooting for 1:24 but I think I'm not there yet. Still a pr and a minute faster than last month race, so no need for whining. Also finished 5th, witch made me feel like a superstar despite the slow-as* time (winner was 1:25:10).

Went out very easy and got into a groove around 5/6 miles, then around 8/9 miles, when it was time to push, my right calf started tightening up. From there on, my focus was to be relaxed enough to not make it worse, so I had to back off a bit.

I'm experimenting with lighter shoes (connects), to cure some chronic shin splints, and even if the shin pain was surprisingly low after the race (all on asphalt), my calves are still not used to them (I put only 10 miles in them before the race).

I think a lot of people raced this weekend, hope you guys did well!

@Reg Fields did u make it??

Goal: Stay healthy

Next race: Maybe a 7.5km race in June

Target: sub 27

M: 13 very slow with colleagues

T: off

W: 13 with 3x2000 @ MP with 400 rec. Splits were spot on but felt terrible, might be due to a short night.

T: off

F: 8 with drills in pooring rain

S: 17 moderate on hilly route

S: off

Total: 51 km

Cmm268: good luck with your Achilles!

VF Runner: Nice week so early.

Rushed: Impressive workout. Have you done a workout like that before?

Yuri_G: Congratulations on your PR.

Slartzio: Take your time with your shoe transition. If done to quickly they may cause other problems.

has been: never ran track but that does sound like a lot of boring laps.

cmm: nice recovery week and long run. are you planning to pace your buddy the whole marathon? I told myself I was going to do core stuff this time around...havent started yet haha.

VF: glad things are coming back around.

Rushed: awesome saturday workout.

yuri: congrats on the PR!

slartzio: congrats on the PR. you didnt slow down much it looks like, still really good consistent splits. glad you kept it together with the leg tightening up.

gmuze: good week. nice that you felt bad but still hit your splits. just wait till its really clicking for a workout.

Goal: Fall marathon sub 2:18 (PR)

Monday: AM 12,5

Tuesday: AM 8 x 500 in 1:25' with 500 jog (11); PM 6

Wednesday: PM 10

Thursday: AM 6 x 200 in 33,5'' with 200 jogg (6)

Friday: PM 4 + strides (4+)

Saturday: AM 3; PM 10 K race (3rd in 31:37') (12,5)

Sunday: AM 10

(total: 76 miles)

Very pleased with this week. I did'nt run too much mileage as I wanted to run a 10 K race on Saturday. The conditions sucked, as it was cold and raining strong + the course was awful hilly and curvy. I got outkicked, but I'll take it. I guess it was a sub 31:00-effort as the guys beating me are +/- 30:00' calibers and they were hard pressed, so definitely some good running, as I'm progressing week after week. Next week I'll hopefully be able to put in some good tempoish workouts :-)

Pikachu

Goal: Grandmas Marathon 6/22 (if I can get time off from work)

Tune up: 5k 5/11 half 5/18

Mon: 8 + 6 Easy (14)

Tues: 12 Easy/Accels (12)

Wed: 9(3m building) + 6 w/ 5x400 hill (15)

Thurs: 8 + 4 Easy (12)

Fri: 13 w/ 3m tempo + 13 (26)

Sat: 4 + 4 Easy (8)

Sun: 13(9m building)

Total: 100

Wed: 3mi building in 1557 splits of 542, 518.7, 456.5. Felt pretty good. Little tight still but ignored and finished good haha. PM 6mi w/ 5x400 @MGP and 6% incline on treadmill.

Fri: Ran with a friend who had a 3mi tempo. 536, 540, 527. Felt fairly comfortable. Then was going to finish up to 2hrs total. He locked his keys in his car so I stopped at 13 and double in the PM.

Sun: 9mi building. Pouring down rain this morning so I went to the gym. Holy crap it was HOT. I know know how steve feels. I was drenched. 613, 613.5, 609, 557, 556, 554, 545, 534.5, 530. Felt good, legs were fine, could have gone faster if the heat didnt get to me.

Pretty happy with the week. Hope next week I will loosen up some more. Told myself I was going to stretch and core stuff more this time around. We will see haha

Shires of Vermont Marathon 5/19, might just try for sub-3 (5 weeks post-Boston bonk)

M 8 @7:40

T 8 @7:44

W 8 @7:32

Th off (planned)

F 8 @7:24 (was thinking about possible sub-3 at Shires of VT on run, got ahead of myself)

Sa 11 @7:41

Su off (planned)

Week total 42, 2013 total 832

Felt good, like the Boston bonk never happened. Feel like I've got another sub-3 in me. Might just go for it in 3 weeks, redemption time.

I will post a full race report and try to comment later, but I just got back from Gettysburg and wanted to share the highlights:

2:55:57! I honestly ran the race of my life on a very, hilly challenging course. At least two minutes slower than Philly in my opinion. The first 15 miles had tons of rolling hills with 3 serious climbs and downhills that could kill your quads if you didn't run them right.

At 5 miles, I was doubting whether I would even break 3 hours because I felt so terrible. But after a huge downhill in mile 8, I kind of woke up from feeling lousy and started clicking off 6:40-6:45 every mile.

I went through the half in 1:28:27, right where I wanted but feeling a little more spent than I would have preferred.

Amazingly, I found a completely different gear after 15 miles. It was almost straight out of the Hanson's Book (I followed a Hanson's plan for this cycle for those that didn't notice). In fact, I got faster and felt stronger as the race went on. Turns out I ran the second half in 1:27:30, for almost a full minute negative split. I never slowed down and never felt like I was going to hit the wall. I just KNEW the pace from all those MP miles the Hansons have you run.

Also, big props to Cyhawk for the taper strategy - it worked to a charm! By Thursday and Friday this week, I didn't even need to look at my watch to know pace I was running during the MP segments, and I still felt super fresh and rested because of the increasingly fewer miles each day. I highly recommend that taper strategy for the future.

And for those that don't have the time or durability to post 100 mile weeks like some of the other studs on this thread, I highly, highly recommend the Hansons marathon training plan. My longest training run was 17 miles. My max mileage week was 75, with an 18 week average of 58 miles. I didn't really have a base since I was injured last year, so it's not like I had years of previous training made sharper by this cycle.

And I PR'd by almost 4 minutes on a course that is definitely not a PR course. Can't say enough about the training plan.

Thanks again to everyone who has commented on my posts and supported me this cycle. It's an amazing feeling to get a marathon "right" for the first time. I will take at least the next 2 weeks off to recover, and then decide what my focus will be for the summer fall.

Hope everyone else had a great week. :)

Oh yeah, I don't how I could forget: 4th place overall! Okay, so maybe it didn't have Boston's field, but I'll still take it. :)

Numbersguy - CONGRATS on an awesome race and placing 4th! It looks like you negative split the race so your pacing must have been perfect.

Edgemont Dave - 5 weeks is perfect timing for you to run a sub 3 from Boston. I assume the weather should be close to ideal up in VT in that time of year

NP112 - 100 mile week already? Man you are making me look like a slacker:) It sounds and looks like you are completely back on a schedule and ready to hit Grandmas. Good luck next weekend in your 5k. Although I hate it, I've stuck with some form of a core routine with foam roller 2-3 times per week for the past 10-12 months. I think it's made a difference for me ...

VF - solid week there, especially todays progression run. Although I have a lot of motivation I'm not sure I could dial in those times you are cranking out yet.

Yuri - congrats on the PR and breaking 18...you crushed sub 18! What will your break entail, a complete rest or some cross training and break from running?

Rushed[ - back to back 16:XX 5K's? Good lord that is some nice running!

cmm268 - Good luck healing that achilles. Thanks. I'm feeling good, and I realize I'm riding a fine line between continuing to recover from a PR but at the same time trying to sharpen for another attempt.

Yuri_G - Obviously you made a good decision. Congrats on a great race.

Slartzio - Excellent! Now that the PR half is past, go back to working the Connects in more gradually. Maybe add some eccentric calf raises to help protect/strengthen the back part of your leg.

NP - Thanks. You too. 100 already??? Holy crap man. Just take care of yourself. That lingering tightness might just be telling you something.

Pikachu - Sounds like a great effort in a tough race. Well done.

Edgemont - Yes, you absolutely should be going for sub 3 at VT!

Numbersguy - AWESOME! PR. Great placing! Negative split! That's the way to doit.

Numbersguy Huge congrats on the race! Can't wait to see the full report. I also concur on the Hanson's method. I felt like the buildup made me very strong and even though I didn't feel like the miles during my goal race were easy, they were clicking off at the right pace all the same.

cmm I rock climb as well, so I'll just keep doing that and foam rolling the IT band during the break. I'll start back the second week of May and I'm going to follow Joe Rubio's regimen to try to improve my middle distance times.

Numbersguy - AWESOME race! Major congrats. Feeling sluggish and then shaking it off at mile 15 and clocking off 6:40s miles is fantastic.

Yuri_G - Great job on the 5K PR.

VF_Runner - kill it at Pocono. You're right I should go for it at Shires of VT. I signed up for that race in a wannabe 50 stater mentality, thinking it would be a fun little adventure post-Boston. Might be time to step it up a bit and see what I can do out there.

Numbersguy - Congrats on a great race. In light of your stellar performance, I want a detail training cycle recap along with your race report.

As for me, I'm still struggling with the effects of my marathon. My right knee was still too tight when I finally went out for a 3.1 mile run on Wednesday. Since I have no races on my schedule right now, I've decided to shut everything down for a while.

Also, my Sinus/Ear/Neck thing came back again this week. This is the 4th time since December that I've had this thing. It really effected my training over the winter and contributed in my poor performance on marathon day.

My internet research points to a recurring inner ear infection. However, I'm finally going to make a doctor's appointment and get a professional opinion.

Keep running folks.

Nice race Startzio and Numbers Guy!

Goal races

June 2 Covered Bridges Half

Oct 16- GMMA Marathon

I had an odd week.

M- 5 (clear out the legs after driving 400 miles yesterday)

T- 7- pushed the tempo, felt great- 2 minutes faster than I have done this course this year, started feeling sick about an hour after I was back

W- 0-Sick, in bed by 1 pm

Th-0- better but weak

F- 3- felt great

S/Su- off, low motivation busy weekend

Total: 17

I pushed the mileage up the last two weeks so a down week made sense. I will try to switch to running before work tomorrow which was part of the equation in not running this evening. 5 weeks to my goal half.

Hi all! Hope everyone's training week went better than mine. I'm sick of these little tendon injuries popping out of no where to run my weekly mileage down by a good 10-15 miles. The only highlight for me this week was our final regular season track meet here. I ran a 2:05 800m and won (woohoo!) and also ran a 55 sec split in the 4x400, which we also won (only about a meter this time, it was close and i was screaming my lungs out). But anyways, my week looked like this:

Week of 4/22

(7.3 mi) M: speed drills, 7.3 mi run

gym: bi’s/tri’s, pulldowns, benching, squats

(2.42 mi) T: speed drills, 2.42 mile run

(3.5 mi)W: 3.5 mi (800m, 3200m, 400m, 800m warmup, 400m total warmup on field)

(6.0 mi)Th: 3.5 mi loop (3.5 mi), 8x400m (2.0 mi), .25 mi cooldown (.25 mi), .25 mi warmup (.25 mi)

(4.2 mi) F: 4.2 mi run some on elliptical

(2.5 mi) Sa: Bring the Heat Invitational, dropped all events. 2.5 mi easy

(6.25 mi) Su: 5.25 mi w/ major incline on treadmill, 1 mi equivalent on bike.

gym: bi’s/tri’s, rows, bench, vert/lat raise, delts, traps, shoulder machines, abs

Total: 32 mi

My right foot on the outside part just in front of the heel has been inflamed and hurting since wednesday. I think i might have either stepped on a rock and bruised my 5th metatarsal or have peroneal tendonitis (note that 2 years ago in XC i tore my peroneal tendon, so this may be somewhat of the same injury to the same tendon just in my foot not my ankle). Im nervous to go get it looked at by an AT or a doc because i dont want to be told to sit out for 3 weeks or anything, especially with conference championships wednesday and regionals the following week. So ill keep the heat, ice, and rolling the foot over the tennis ball going until im pain free again.