Road Racing and Training Thread - Week Ending 8/31

cwood wrote:

Good luck BCTC, I ran Austin a few years back.. have you ran it before? Its quite hilly later on and worse hilly from 10-19 or so… but it means you get a fast finish..

Good training. But I ran it blind as a training run for Boston (when it was 87F) and the hills at 15-20 killed me.. I ended up low 2:40's

I haven't run it before but I live in the city so I can get some good previews of the course and roads I'll be racing. This will be my debut marathon so I am going to just play it very conservative the first 20 or so through the hills.

my week

M 8 easy

T 10 w/ 6x(3min 5:15ish, 2min easy)

W 8 in morning, 8 at night.

Th 11 recovery

F 5 in morning, 3.5 in pm with strides

Sa 11 w/ 8k XC race.

Su 15 easy long run

total 80.00, 7:10/mi avg

tuesday's workout was an easy fartlek, mostly about 5:15-5:20 pace but we picked up a couple of them by quite a bit, sub 5 pace. dunno the exact average paces, offs were about 7:20s

XC 8k race went okay, the course was tougher than i expected, with bad footing and a variety of surfaces to run on, whihc i wasnt prepared for. wore victories with the spikes out, but some rocks got stuck in the holes and it was uncomfortable to run. got a nice blood blister too. i ran 27:52, basically my tempo pace. i'd say i gave it a 26:30ish effort, which would be slow. i blame the foot and running 80 mpw for the first time all year.

happy with the mileage and my 15 miler, should be set for 85-90 miles next week, with no races to worry about.

also, i hit 336 miles in august (75.9 mpw)

2245 miles in 2014 (64.7 mpw)

this was my biggest month, with 2 biggest weeks of 2014. (did 80m last week too)

Goal Race: Amsterdam Marathon 3:15

Weekly: 60

YTD: 1399.75

Mon: Weights and core

Tues: 11 with 6 tempo @ 7:08

Weds: AM Weights and core, PM 5 Recovery @ 9:29 under 75% MHR

Thurs: 5 with 5k in 20:25

Fri: 14 @ 8:28 under 85% MHR

Sat: 6 easy including 5k with girlfriend in 25:40

Sun: 19 with 10 at MP @ 7:20

Overall a really good week this week, with some not so good points. 60 is a new mileage high for me and brings up 238.75 for the month which is also a big high. I feel suprisingly good today all things considered.

The low points were the tempo on Tuesday, where I was aiming for 7 flat but just couldn't keep it up for 6 miles. I've never ran that far for a tempo before. The medium long run on Fiday night was brutal for some reason as well, I bonked the last 2 miles and then felt sick and completely trashed all night.

As a complete opposite to this, the run on Sunday felt really good, 10 miles at slightly faster than marathon pace actually felt easy and 19 was my longest run of this cycle so far. I ran the 10 as part of a race so that probably helped. The 5k was only 1 second down on my time from last year as well so I'm happy enough with that. Recovery pace at the same heart rate was slightly faster again which is nice.

13 miles at MP scheduled for this weekend so I'm going to run it during the Great North Run which should be fun!

pewow - solid ladder workout. keep tabs on that hamstring!

southporter - nice quality this week.

coming back - sub 2:35 is a big goal to set for your first marathon, but if you can remain consistent throughout the next 8 months, you should nail it. all the best :)

distance fan - nice tempo on tuesday. congrats on the long run PR :)

cwood - welcome. nice 20 miler! do you have any PRs over the shorter distances (5K-HM)?

cmm - great quality this week. especially when put in between 116 miles.

hereford - looks like you back in the swing of things after your vacation :)

piano_man87 - don't think i've come across a 'tipsy?' run before haha, but you got it done nonetheless!

netwerk errer - well done on the XC race. XC running is definitely beneficial and will make you stronger as the weeks tick by :)

slartzio - welcome back following your break :)

jwil - thats a tough session to do 2 days after a HM, and the rest day yesterday was a wise move.

bctc - welcome. your week looks solid. do you have any other PR's? :)

reed - the xc race sounds interesting! but a great effort :) and solid mileage too!

once & future - nice week with all the quality put in there too. sounds as though things are going well. great that you shrugged off the mystery illness :)

Comments!

I like the little stats bit as well, I'm 32, 6'2" and 171 lbs. Could probably do with being a little lighter.

The Stone Cutter: Good luck for the 5k! Impressive still getting in your workout at that time!

KBXC: Sounds like an all round great week, nice tempo and speedwork.

Matthias: Good luck for the 5k, nice session on Saturday.

pewow: Hope the hamstring is feeling better now? Definitely the right idea to pklay it safe.

Southporter: Conditions can play a huge part in how easy a run feels, good work on still getting through it even if it was rough!

coming back: Nice first week, will be interested to follow how you get on here.

Distance Fan: Congrats on the mileage high and smart thinking with the tempo. How's it feeling now?

cwood: Nice long run and sounds like you should have a pretty good base.

cmm268: Times are always going to be a little down as you ramp up the miles, I'm finding the same thing (though at a much lower level). Still looks like a good week to me!

Hereford: Wednesday sounds brutal, really nice workout.

Piano_Man87: Nicely done getting the tempo in after the bail on Tuesday, as you say these things happen and the main thing is to not get too disheartened.

Netwerk Errer: congrats on the xc time and commiserations on the 2nd place! Happy with the 2nd place team?

Slartzio: Welcome back! Glad to hear you've identified and solved your achilles issues.

Jwil: Bound to be tired the week after a hard half marathon effort, it's almost taper time for you so that should sort out any lingering fatigue. Don;t be afraid to take an extra day off if you need it though.

BCTC: Welcome to the thread! Nice first week. I like the finishing strong for your longrun.

reed: congrats on the mileage highs. Sounds like a bit of a rough race, but as you say, to be expected when you're running high miles.

cwood-I'm in the DC area but was in Northern NJ at the beach this weekend so was close to you although both areas had high humidity. Looks like we are almost in the same exact boat goal wise, although I didn't run a full two weeks ago. I would love to go sub 1:15 in Philly and then sub 2:35 in October.

I noticed that I was at 498.6 for the month yesterday and figured this may be the only chance ever to break 500 in a month which is why I tacked on the 2 recovery run:)

I started my "plan" at 37 mpw. I had been running 35+ for a few months prior. My goal peak is 50ish (maybe 52). I had a stress fracture jumping from 38 to 45 a year ago, so I'm doing really small increases, usually 1 mpw, and cutting back after 3 increases. Once and again: Feels fine now. I'll know this Saturday for sure when I try to run fast.

Jwil wrote:

Distance Fan: solid tempo workout Tuesday. How many MPW have you been running in your first 9 weeks?

.

That should have been for Once And Future. I'm having a can't remember crap day (week/month).

As to the other stat: 40/male/6'3"/162.

Goal Race - 2x Half Marathons (September/October)

Goal Time - A: Sub 1:30 (B: Sub 1:33)

Other Goals (2014 or early 2015) - Sub 20min 5k, Sub 40min 10k

Plan - Daniel's Half Marathon Plan (3rd Edition)

Mon - rest

Tue - rest

Wed - 4 miles - easy (8:34)

Thu - 6 miles - easy inc. strides (8:26)

Fri - 5 miles - hard/interval pace VO2 Max workout, 4x (4mins H-pace (6:11), w/ 3min jogs) + warm/cool

Sat - 6.5 miles - 1.5 miles threshold pace (T-pace 6:43) + 6x (200R + 200jg)(avg 41 sec) + warm/cool

Sun - 12 miles - easy/long (8:28)

Total = 33.5 miles

Happy with how the week turned out on balance, as I picked up a slight injury around my right knee/calf/hamstring last Saturday/Sunday, which was the reason for the two days off.

Got running again on Wednesday and Thursday with only slight discomfort afterwards, but felt pretty much fine after the rest of the week's sessions.

Decided to cut the interval session slightly short; would normally have ran 5 or 6 intervals, but 4 seemed sensible given the pain I'd had earlier in the week.

The threshold session was also cut short from 3 miles (around 20mins), simply because I wasn't feeling up to it on the day for some reason. I think this was partly mental on my part, which is a little disappointing to be honest; but the reps session which followed went very well, so I was able to salvage something from the workout.

Long run on Sunday was pleasing, as it was during the previous weeks long run that I started to feel the pain in my leg, but luckily it didn't reoccur this week!

Looking back now; I think that increasing the mileage to 50 last week, in the same week as moving up two VDOT's, increasing the length of the workouts, and running interval/hard workouts for the first time in this cycle, was simply too much additional stress all at once!

Based on the last week, it looks like there is a good reason why Daniel's doesn't advice increasing mileage in phase 3, so I've decided to back it down to 43 per week again, which I have been handling quite well. Will then look at building to 50-60 over the winter - I think that only running a 4 week base phase has probably led to me trying to cram too much mileage in as it were.

Hope everyone had good weeks!

It's cool to see several new people joining this thread. Really interesting to read about how everyone else is training. Thanks to StoneCutter for keeping the flame burning. Hope you have a great 5k today!

It was a soup-fest this morning after a storm rolled through last night. 75F, 90% humidity at the 9:00am gun. Finished in 17:46 for 6th OA, 2nd in AG (30-39 yr olds). I didn't bother to wear a watch since I knew it wasn't going to be a fast time, but I did hear 8:43 at the turnaround, which means I went 8:43 and 9:03 on an out-and-back course. I am happy with the effort, even though I was about :20 slower on the same course than last year in similar temps. As I am in the middle of marathon training this go 'round, I am just looking at it as a good hard workout.

I guess that's why it's called "Labor Day," haha. :)

Nice run in tough conditions. Time for a beer and some grilling.

Hereford wrote:

Nice run in tough conditions. Time for a beer and some grilling.

We are on the same page, my friend. I just put away some chicken wings and I am about to slice up a watermelon now. :)

Once and future: I was happy to make the first team, I really wasn't expecting to. First four scored and I got in ahead of two teamates who have run under 30 minutes for road 5 miles this year. It would have been nice to win but the better team won. The good news is that our team have a lot of really fast guys to bring in for County (same as state for the Americans) championships while yesterday's winning team doesn't. I won't be running in the County XC champs because of marathon training but I would be a mile away from scoring anyway. We will have a whole team under 28 minutes for an 8k XC race in the champs.

I will get around to posting my comments later tonight or tomorrow.

As for my statistics. I am 25/6"2/152 lbs.

Nice race StoneCutter! I'm with you and Hereford--just finished my 2nd run and about to crack a cold one!

Post and run. I will comment later tonight.

Goal: USA 50mi road champs 10/25

Mon: 8 + 9 (17)

Tues: 8.25 + 8.25 (16.5)

Wed: 27(8-9-6 @ MP)

Thurs: 8

Fri: 9 + 6.5 (15.5)

Sat: 10.5 + 4.5 (15)

Sun: 35

Total: 134

Wed: MP run went really well. Progressed into things to make sure I finished.

Sun: Rough long run. Bonked twice even while taking calories every 30 minutes. Good run testing out nutrition though.

Hello everyone! Sorry I'm so late. Had to go to a wedding after my long run yesterday, and I'm only just now getting a chance to post this. Hooray for Labour Day!

Comments:

Stone: That track workout sounds very atmospheric. I find I usually have one or two memorable runs in weird conditions like that per cycle. I still remember a big LT workout I did before my second marathon in this torrential summer downpour, and that was two years ago before I kept a training log. Context or no context, that looks like a vintage Stone week to me. Congrats on what sounds like a fun 5k too.

KBXC: Congratulations on a solid summer of base training. You look to be in very mean shape. I'm excited to see what you pull off in the upcoming season.

Matthias: Both those speed sessions look mighty spicy to me, stitches be damned. Descending rest is an interesting concept for interval workouts. I've never tried it, but feel I ought to at some point.

pewow: Playing it safe with injuries is almost always a good idea, I think. Way to train with your head. Do you have a goal time for your 10k?

southporter: Hah, I know what you mean about the hangover. I was at a raucous wedding last night. Lucky for me I only have recovery runs today.

coming back: Welcome aboard! I shall watch your progress with considerable interest. Please post as often as you can! Also, don't get injured.

Distance Fan: That weather sounds terrible. Good on you for slogging it through.

cwood: Welcome aboard! Good luck in the final stages of your prep. Are you following any training plan?

cmm: Another typically impressive week from you! I hope your knee settles down. What's the distance you run on your "cruise intervals"?

Piano_Man: That's a very interesting idea about weeks off at a time. Where did you hear about it? What pros do it? How do they avoid going insane? Outside of a week on a sailboat (which featured a good amount of swimming), I haven't taken a week off for anything other than injury in years. Maybe I should give it a shot.

Slartzio: Welcome back! We've missed you. It's good to hear you're recharged and feeling better in the heel. Your plan sounds like a good one to me.

Jwil: I think that's a pretty good week following a half race. And 14 at marathon pace is a pretty serious workout. Go easy on yourself.

BCTC: Hello! That's a pretty snappy time for a debut, at least by my standards, but you look to be well on track for it already. You competitive runners are very impressive.

Once and Future: The Gods of Running GI Shenanigans giveth and they taketh away, I guess. Have fun at the Great North!

NP: Your training this season is blowing my mind. How do you bonk twice in the same run? Also, what are you eating on these?

Pfitzinger Week 14/18

Goal: Portland Marathon (10/05) 2:40

Monday: 10k recovery (am), 10.5k recovery (pm)

Tuesday: 8k recovery (am), 16k general aerobic + strides (pm)

While running barefoot strides, I smacked my heel on a rock pretty good this afternoon. It hurt for a bit, but I think it was just a flesh wound as it largely faded by Friday.

Wednesday: 8k recovery (am), 24k medium-long (pm).

First half at 4:18/km, second half at 3:50/km. The World Triathlon Championships took place here this weekend. There’s been race setup activity going on in one of my favorite parks for running for the last two months, but this was the first time in the park that I really felt overcrowded. Triathletes everywhere, wizzing past at great speed on their bikes.

Thursday: 9k recovery (am), 9k recovery (pm)

Friday: 19k with 11 at LT pace.

Unable to run in my favorite park because of the triathlon, I did this one at a track. It was my first time on a track this season, the Pfitzinger plan not being huge on intervals. Though 11k is a bit long to run around a track, I had a great time. The polyurethane and flat terrain gave me a pretty good boost. I aim to go between 3:24 and 3:29/km for LT segments, but I hit 3:22/km on this without too much difficulty.

The only fly in the ointment was the traffic at the track. I had it to myself for my warmup and first couple k at speed, but then this older gent rolled up and started cutting laps. I’m all for people getting exercise, but this guy’s conduct baffled me.

First, he ran around 800m in about 6 minutes, staying on the inside track so I had to pass him for about every 500m I ran. Then he stopped running and walked, still on the inside, for another 30 minutes or something.

Then he stopped and just stood around in the field for a while. I thought he might be waiting to talk to me after I finished my workout, but when I had about a mile left he jogged another 200m (on the inside lane, natch) and then left.

I can only assume he was an escaped dementia patient.

Saturday: 16k recovery.

Schedule called for general aerobic, but I ran this with a friend of mine who is just getting into running so we went a bit slow. Great conversation and a beautiful morning.

Watched the end of the elite women’s triathlon afterwards. Gwen Jorgensen is an absolute monster off the bike. The sight of her demolishing the field over 10k was very impressive.

Sunday: 35k long run.

First 18.5k at 4:21/km, rest at 3:53/km.

This one was a bit of a slog. I never carry water on my runs as I usually have access to a few fountains along the way. My usual long run course takes me over what was, this Sunday, part of the route for the men’s world triathlon championship. This is where one of the fountains is. I thought, naively, that if I got out early enough, I could access the fountain and be on my merry way before Gomez and the Brownlees needed to chase each other ‘round the park.

Of course, I am an idiot, and I had no access to water for the whole run because of triathlon course closures. No one’s fault but my own, really. I was glad when this one was over. On the plus side, I still managed to eat 20 gummy bears and did complete the run in something like normal form.

Total: 167km

All in all, I’m pretty satisfied with this week. The highlight was definitely Friday. Sunday could have gone a lot better, but it’s useful to have some experience to running in adverse conditions, I think.

I’ve got two weeks before the taper starts, and I’m looking forward to them both. (I kind of can’t believe it’s already September. Where did the summer go?)

I’m also looking forward to all this triathlon hoopla going away. It’s great for the city’s profile and very exciting, but the road and park closures and the crowds and the people telling me I can’t run in places where I am accustomed to running have all worn a bit thin for me.

I am a curmudgeon and I just want everyone to go away and let me train.