Road Racing and Training Thread, Week Ending October 6, 2019

"I'm a thick expletive I need tempo. Different expletive it up to the tempo." -Melissa Jefferson

Week starting 8.5 weeks to my local Turkey Trot.

M - 6mi shuffling

T - 10mi

W - 13mi AM including 4x2mi with 2:00 recovery (11:28, 11:26, 11:28, 11:58).

First 2 felt good, third one felt hard, 4th one felt biffed (6:07 last mile). Maybe I could have gotten there with 3:00 recoveries. Maybe I was too overzealous. Probably both. I think I can see a day in the future where I can nail that one though. I do NOT recommend well worn old Kinvaras for running hard on wet roads. Slippy. -- 8mi PM

T - 8mi

F - 8mi

S - 16mi including split tempo: 4mi (6:04, 6:03, 5:56, 5:55) then 6mi avg 7:20 then 4mi (6:03, 6:04, 5:58, 5:45)

S - 7mi

Total - 76mi

Chose to cut back to 2 quality days this week coming off the race, but then decided if I'm only doing 2 quality days I needed to make them sufficiently large, so may have been a one step forward one step back situation? I had also really expected to hit a down week coming into or out of that race, but I got to the end of those weeks and the mileage is higher than I expected, so I guess we'll see if I regret it in a couple weeks.

“More is More” - LRC

RRR 6ft 162ish 36yrs old

Sun - 10/8

Mon - 14/4

Tues - 6/4

Wed - 12 including 2x1x1 60s rest per mile (5:52-5:41, 5:40, 5:41) PM 4

Thu - 8/4

Fri - 12/4

Sat - 17 as 5up 8 straight tempo 4 down

(6:21-6:14-6:12-6:13-6:10-6:07-6:09-6:08)

Totals

107 Run

50ish Bike

1x45 min lift.

Good week of mileage. Taking a down week this week after a good solid mileage build w a couple workouts a week. Showed a little pop on wed for a shorter workout. Saturday I was gold aerobically but legs just didn’t have any more to give. Otherwise I feel really good. Dealing w some big toe pain/swelling all week (after lacing my shoes to tight last Saturday). But it seems to be subsiding.

Hilly AF half marathon on Sunday so I will prob cut back to 80 miles this week and run that as a workout. Rolling for 8.5 miles then a long slow steady uphill w basically no downhill the last 4.5. Plan is to get out hard tempo the first 9 and try to cruise the uphill without going into the well so to speak. Should be fun anyways.

Weather broke here and started a cooking trend for fall. About damn time. All in all a solid week and a mileage PR.

Male, 51 yo, 5’7”, 129 lbs

Goals: Jan 19 - Standard Chartered Marathon Taipei - sub 3:10

Upcoming Races: Nov 3 - HM

Week...errrr...ummmm...

With a switch of goal races, a typhoon, and a 10k race this week (long-winded report below), I did pretty much whatever the hell I wanted to do. Next week will be more “normal.”

Gwan Yin Shan 10km Race

I decided to have fresh legs for this race, so I ran jackshite from Wed-Fri and didn’t run at all on Saturday, and I felt good in terms of muscle freshness. So the plan was to approximate a vdot 49-50 10km race with the following caveats: no training for 10km, temps in the hi 70s-low 80s, run by feel, race the race.

At the starting line, 2nd row. Sun is out. Maybe should have opted for sunglasses. You can see everyone planning to “race” doing the “bib check.” First-row guy in flag colors, red and blue, knows I’m here. He’s the only guy in my age group that I can scout out up front. A couple of nods and smiles exchanged with other men who look the part. A young rooster. An older rooster. And we’re off.

Top 30, top 20, top 15 and we get settled in after about 2k. I keep an eye on “Flagman” ahead of me; he’s 100 meters ahead. I look at my watch twice and both times I am much faster than vdot 50 pace and, more importantly, my effort feels at the edge of acceptable, so I rein it in a bit, focus on my breathing, and zone in. I have 2 neighbors, “Mr. Monochrome,” in a B&W singlet, and “Touch-of-Gray.” I can’t see Touch-of-Gray’s bib, so I decide to assume he’s in my AG. I saw Mr. Monochrome warming up and I know he’s a younger guy.

My first ever “race by feel” attempt, and it was a pretty liberating feeling. Without a specific goal time, I just ran as fast as I felt was prudent. Mr. Monochrome darted ahead at least 50 meters. Let the kiddo go. I’m just gonna give this a steady effort. Is that Flagman only a bit in front of him? Touch-of-Gray and I went back and forth for a while, but his breathing told me all I needed to know. He was behind me for good after 5 km along with several other young, enthusiastic guys that had gone out faster than they should have.

Approaching the turnaround at 7km, and I’ve closed the gap on Flagman. We’ve been mingled in with the earlier-starting HM runners for a while and I’d kinda let him go and just focused on keeping an even effort. But yeah, that’s him. 50 meters. At the turnaround, probably only 30 meters. “10th,” the woman tells me. Much appreciated.

Of course, in Taiwan, after 7km in a 10km race, there are only 4 kms remaining. But I know this and I just accept it because I’m running what feels right. I run the last “3km” knowing that it’ll probably be closer to 4km. After the turnaround, there are no more HM people and realize that I’m gaining on everyone in front of me. I’m on Flagman’s heels at 7.5 and I push a bit but try to breathe quietly as I pass. He’s done. Next guy was in a bad place; I passed him. Suddenly Mr. Monochrome is right in front of me again. I slow slightly as I pass and look over but he waves me ahead. I’m gaining on 5th and 6th place after passing the 10km mark, but they’re too far ahead and racing each other (friends from the same running club). I cross the line 7th, with Mr. Monochrome 8th and Flagman 9th. AG 50 1st, I was told, but not confirmed. Adjusting for the heat and the fact that I haven’t done any 10k specific training, it’s all positive as far as I can see. 42:40 thru 10k, then another 3:57 till hitting the finish line. Flagman had 10.93 on his watch, too.

My “watchless-run-by-feel” splits were:

4:06

4:02

4:17

4:22

4:20

4:20

4:19

4:18

4:16

4:15

3:57 (bonus .93km--4:14/km)

A bit of cash and a pair of “marathon flip-flops” for my trouble.

My humble contribution to thread mojo.

Male, 41, 5’11”, low 170s

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

Goal race: California International Marathon (12/8/19)

Goal time: 2:44:00-2:49:00, will narrow down the target as the race gets closer

Starting 10 weeks out from CIM

“Guess who’s back...back again…[Stone is] back...tell a friend...guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back...”

-Eminem, Without Me

M - 10.5 miles

T - 8.5 miles

W - 6.5 miles. Including 5 x :20 strides.

Th - 11 miles. Including 6 x 1 mile off 2:00 recovery jogs. 5:42/average.

F - 4.5 miles. Including 5 x :20 strides.

Sa - 17 miles. Including 4 miles (6:24)/3 miles (6:19)/2 miles (6:06)/1.1 mile (5:52) with 1 mile moderate recoveries (6:55). 1:23:52 overall for the middle 13.1 miles (6:24/average).

Su - 12 miles

Weekly Total: 70 miles

Year to Date: 1,482 miles

In a span of 48 hours from Thursday morning to Saturday morning, my potential for this cycle - much like the weather - improved for the better. Hope everyone else had a great week.

Progression of Workouts this Cycle

Week of 9/16 (52 miles)

*12 x 400m off 1:00 walk recoveries. Roads. :77/average.

*5mile MP tempo. 6:24/average.

*15 mile progression. 75%-->100% MP. 8:25-->6:19/mile.

Week of 9/23 (62 miles)

*8 x .5 mile off 1:30 walk/jog recoveries. Roads. 2:48/average.

*6 mile MP tempo. 6:21/average.

*16 miles. Including 8 mile continuous alternating tempo as 4 x (1.5 miles MP, .25 mile fast, .25 mile easy). 9:31/1:18/1:55 averages. 6:22/average overall for the 8 miles.

Week of 9/30 (70 miles)

*6 x 1 mile off 2:00 jog recoveries. 5:42/average.

*17 miles. Including 4 miles (6:24)/3 miles (6:19)/2 miles (6:06)/1.1 mile (5:52) off 1 mile moderate recoveries (6:55). 1:23:52 overall for the middle 13.1 miles (6:24/average).

Mrs. Stone’s week:

Female, 44, 5’6”

PRs: 21:20 (2017, 2019), 1:36:43 (2019), 3:31:40 (2019)

Goal race: California International Marathon (12/8/19)

Goal time: sub 3:25:00

Starting 10 weeks out from CIM

M - 6 miles

T - 8 miles

W - 2.8 miles

Th - 8 miles

F - 5.5 miles

Sa - 14 miles

Su - 6 miles

Weekly Total: 50 miles

Year to Date: 1,900 miles

All easy running as she works out the hamstring. The hamstring itself is starting to feel better, but glutes, IT, piriformis, etc., now need constant stretching and strengthening work. She sees the massage therapist tomorrow for a long session. Hoping to be able to start light quality workouts again the second half of this coming week.

Male, 43, 5’10”, 138 lbs

Goal- 3:05 on 11/24

Plan - Jack Daniels

S - 6

M - 15 8E, 6x1,000 @6:05, 3E

T - 6

W- 10

Th- 8 w/6x100 strides

F- 18 8E, 8MP, 2E MP avg @7:05

Sat - Swim 1 mile

Total - 63

Both workouts were tough having to run fast after an hour of running slow, but all is good. I need to eat more after the workouts, lost another 2 pounds this week and have lost five in the last few weeks after increasing volume and intensity. Good luck to everyone this week.

Holy crap RRR what is that volume, monster. Big block of text ahead warning!

M25, 128lbs, 5'7"

PRs: 4:38 mile, 16:10 5K, 56:24 10 mile, 1:16:39 HM, 2:46:07 M

2019 Goals: NYCM, CIM (alternative/backup), sub 2:40

=== 9/30/19 - 10/6/19: 101.1 miles ===

> Mon - 19.55 miles

#1 (5:44): 13.30 miles @8:22

#2 (10:47): 6.25 miles @7:28

> Tue - 15.31 miles

#1 (5:50): 10.29 miles @8:47

#2 (10:34): 5.02 miles @7:34

> Wed - 17.04 miles

#1 (5:47): 12.02 miles @6:47, Bailed 4x2mi workout

Flopped through 5 miles and called it

5:45 avg

(5:46, 5:45), (5:44, 5:51), (5:42) off 2' jog recovery

#2 (10:32): 5.02 miles @6:25, 3mi tempo

5:36 avg

5:42, 5:38, 5:30

> Thu - 16.81 miles

#1 (5:55): 10.52 miles @8:22

#2 (11:01): 5.01 miles @8:01

#3 (20:41) 1.28 miles @7:58, Logging a run on Nike+ to get some free stuff

> Fri - 10.66 miles

#1 (5:58): 6.88 miles @8:35, w/ 6x strides

#2 (10:57): 3.78 miles @7:57

> Sat - 11.30 miles

#1 (8:45): 6.27 miles, Norwood Fast & Flat 5K Race

#2 (11:50): 5.03 miles @8:13

> Norwood Fast & Flat 5K - 16:10 (5:12/mi, 1st AG)

Mile splits: 5:08, 5:21, 5:09, 5:08/mi (0.1)

Km splits: 3:10, 3:14, 3:20, 3:15, 3:11

Conditions: Awesome weather, mid 40s, pretty much flat loop course with a couple turns, a minor hill, some gradients

40 second PR in the middle of peak marathon training, pretty darn jazzed about this one!

Pre-race goal was to find Slo. He had mentioned what he was wearing and what he looked like, so I camped out around the bib pickup. At around hour to start I made a bold approach to this fast looking guy pinning a bib to the color of shirt I was looking for, bingo! Had a great time meeting an all around super rad dude and grabbed around a 2.5mi warm-up with him around the course. We threw down some strides and debated around about gloves or no. By the time we were heading over the line, gloves were off!

We squeezed into the top left corner of the front and waited for the gun. Goal was to get through first mile in around 5:05-5:10 and then go from there. Bam! Gun goes off. I basically work to follow Slo the entire time while he does all the hard work -- I doubt I could have ran as fast as I did without him! We form a little pack of 4-5 with Slo at the lead, and there are 3 more faster guys up ahead. Slo magically comes through 1K at around 3:10-3:11, and hits the mile mark at exactly 5:08, perfect sub 16 pacing.

I was feeling pretty good at 1K and 1mi, but as we started heading into mile 2, I could feel myself struggling to hang onto the pack. I started to drop a few meters and once we made the turn onto the one tiny hill of the course, I mentally lost connection with the pack and just tried to focus on not letting the gap grow too large. By mile 2 I’m feeling pretty rough seeing a 5:20ish split and 10:30 on the clock, knowing for sure that I had been falling off the pace. Still, I start to see Slo begin to open up a gap on the pack and pull ahead. What a stud. I’m inspired as heck and try to push harder with just about a mile left to go, also knowing that the final stretch down is a bit downhill.

I definitely wasn’t able to close any gaps to the pack I lost but I kept going for it. A few glances here and there at the watch showed some low 5:00s effort so I knew I was still in territory for a really solid time. At the time I was so focused on running that I really hadn’t done any calculations for where I’d finish around, but I would have been pretty happy in the 16:10-16:20 range. I see Slo up ahead almost closing in on 3rd place, hammering! Final two turns toward the finish and I’m just focusing on holding form and finishing strong. Couldn’t actually see the clock until the very end because of how it was oriented, so at that point I still had no idea where I was. At last, I cross and see 16:10 on the clock, nice! Awesome race.

Post-race only managed about half a mile CD with Slo before I realized I had to return back in time to return the car -- couldn’t extend the time cause someone had booked right behind me. So unfortunately I missed the awards but it was the first time I won anything of monetary value ($25 gift card)! Slo grabbed the goods for me to pick up next time -- many thanks!

> Sun - 10.38 miles

#1 (6:11): 10.38 miles @8:15

> Notes

Wednesday’s morning workout was cut early because I just felt too tired -- my top theory is a combination of race fatigue and terrain. This morning the dirt path was pretty poorly lit today and really dark (DST soon anyone?) and it's uneven enough where visibility definitely impacts footing for me. So on post-race legs the impact might have tired me out quicker than usual. Either way, I followed up later in the double with a much better 3 miles that felt tons better, totalling up the threshold work that day back up to the 8 that was planned.

That was likely my last big week in terms of mileage, with Staten Half next week and 4 weeks out from NYC. If I feel good enough, I would ideally like to hit one more hard long run two weeks out, but I’m also prepared to roll without it if staying healthy comes into question!

GT: Solid 2 quality days! I operate pretty much exactly the same way as far as 2v3. I drop down to 2 when I'm feeling it, but then also try to make them pretty big days. Also funny enough I opted to try for 4x2 this Wed as well, but I didn't quite make it as far as you :)

RRR: Volume off the charts! With a solid workout and great long run to boot. Dropping 8 tempo in the middle of a LR is serious business. A down week is well earned.

Coach Jeff: Always a blast reading your reports! Congrats on the AG win -- awesome racing by feel and some really solid splitting for the strategy. And even more so because of the whacky distance! I imagine if I had to squeeze out another 4 minutes after what I thought was the finish line of a 10K, you'd find me walking ha.

Stone: Fantastic quality work this week! That 6x1 is looking really, really strong. I'd already peg you at the faster end of your goal range based on this week, with 10 weeks still to go.

Mrs. Stone: Glad to hear the hamstring is on the mend, hope the rest follows soon as well!

Niceguy: Two really nice big days there. Looking to be in good shape based on that 18 w/ 8MP. I would say your goal is very much within reach!

Registration screwed up.

Awesome races Coach Jeff, jq and slo!

As for me, I've had to go really slow on my build back... Only swimming and cycling for a while. It's fun though.

“Anyone who had never engaged in the personal biological exploration that is a training plan is missing out on a miraculous and wonderfully fascinating transformation...[A]s genetic technology and cutting edge physiology tell us more about how we each differ as athletes, for the foreseeable future there is a better source of holistic information. To undertake a training program with a mind toward trial and error and to chart you progress is a personal biological and psychological exploration that is available to everyone and without equal. It’s never too late to have your own sampling period...Happy training.”

——David Epstein, The Sports Gene

Post Berlin recovery week

M off travel

T 5

W 5.6

Th 6

F 8.2

S 14

S slept in, not motivated

Total - 39 miles on legs that are tired/heavy but not terribly sore or injured.

Here are my takeaways from Berlin:

(1) The next% is legit. I bet half the first two corrals were wearing them.

(2) Berlin is a ridiculously deep field. At 2:40 I failed to crack the top 500. At Boston/chicago, the same time would place around 100-200.

(3) Berlin is a fast course... flatter than Chicago if you can believe that.

(4) My fitness came back faster than expected. I was completely detrained as of June 1. My first run was four miles at 8:30 pace with a heart rate in the 160s (in perfect fall running weather on the other side of the equator). If you had told me I would PR at Berlin 4 months later I would have thought you were crazy.

(5) Mileage is king. I had about 2 months hanging around/above 100 mpw, my longest such stretch ever. The vast majority of the those miles were run 1.5-2 minutes slower than marathon pace (6:07). Most easy runs were between 7:30-8:00. I had no easy runs faster than 7:15.

(6) training without a written plan can be less intimidating/stressful. I have historically written out my training plans before the buildup begins. This time I just went with the flow because I wasn’t fully committed to Berlin until about a month out. I did similar workouts to what I usually do, but it was nice not having to see them on paper.

F42, 5'6", 111 lb

Goal races:

Des Moines half-marathon 10/20

Philadelphia marathon 11/24

A good week if I do say so myself.

M: rest-rest

Tu: 11 mi

We: 10.5 mi

Th: on the treadmill. 3 mi E + 2 mi T + 2 mi E + 2 mi T + 1.5 mi E. T by effort. Effort was treadmill pace avg. 7:26 for first 2 mi T and 7:31 for next 2 mi T (but treadmill pace is faster than it says). Seemed hard to get through but the mental aspect of running hard on the treadmill at 5 a.m. might have been the reason for that more than the workout really being all THAT hard.

Fr: 11 mi

Sa: 12 mi -- from singlet to light long sleeves with gloves in 24 hrs. Very crisp morning, felt very like cross-country time out there. Perfect, perfect for those 12 mi and legs were good, almost like I hadn't done any hard work the day before.

Su: Not perfect out, but still good. 60-ish to start but a bit humid. 3 mi E + 6 mi M + 1 mi E + 4 mi M + 1 mi T + 2 mi E. The 6-mi block felt great. 7:41, 7:38, 7:40, 7:40, 7:40, 7:40. That intervening 1 mi E kind of killed my legs. The next 4 mi were increasingly uncomfortable, but I was still able to hit my target though it was hard to control pace--in that I kept having to back off, I was running too hard. Then I'd notice my backing off was backing off TOO much, then I'd yo-yo back too fast. 7:39, 7:37, 7:41, 7:39. Then the 1 mi T was tough but I guess it's supposed to be. That was 7:19. The cool-down 2 mi were awful. Legs tightened up pretty fast and started to get waves of stomach cramps. But at least I was done. Pretty happy with that workout.

Total: almost 73 mi. Getting the miles in and pretty much hitting all the right paces. Still some work to do but I'm feeling pretty good about it all.

Wow, great racing and great weeks here, guys.

Stone - I am speechless. What an improvement. So happy for you.

My week was something of a bounce back from last week’s paltry 54 miles. Piriformis/sciatic is still there, but this new stretch seems to be helping some. The butt/leg did hurt during yesterday’s 21-miler. Under 6 weeks now til Richmond...

M: 10.25 at 7:17 overall

T: 10.25 at 7:21 overall...hilly

W: 14.13 at 7:03 overall...with 8 at “steady” effort in the hills...hot weather

T: 8.13 at 7:30 overall..felt crummy...hot weather

F: 11.25 at 7:27 overall...felt crummy

Sat.: 21.25 at 6:55 overall...hilly west - east

route...butt/leg

pain...finished 6:32, 6:32, 6:28, 6:26, 6:23, 6:11, 1:38

75 miles

This leg simply has to get better. Nuff said.

Lots of good stuff in just over a dozen posts.

JQ - huge PR, congratulations.

Jeff - that’s a pretty consistent effort by feel if you ask me.

My week:

M - 6 miles

Tu - off

W - 4 miles

Th - 4.25 miles

F - off

Sa - off

Su - 6 miles

20.25 miles for the week.

Foot feels fine. Hip and pelvis are still wonky, but better than they were.

I just can’t say enough how good it is just to be out running again. I can’t remember the last time I was able to run without significant pain. At least as long ago as Houston 2018, maybe longer.

Not sure whether I’ll even see a goal at this point. I know for the foreseeable future I’m just going to keep getting our 4-6 days a week and take things from there. I certainly don’t see any workouts on the horizontal before maybe trying to run a turkey trot hard to assess where my starting point will be.

M49 188

M off ankle was sore. Think I had my laces too tight. I don't know. It hurt so I didn't run just walked to keep my step streak alive.

T 3 kinda easy. ankle still hurt so wanted to try loosening it up.

W 9, 2 in the am 7 threshold pm. Joined a club a bit ago and decided to run with them. Thought I was going to go easy turned into a hilly threshold. The guy ahead of me kept speeding up when I'd close in on him. After the run he patronizingly says "Oh I didn't know you were there or I'd of slowed down" I just smiled and thanked him. Thinking "another month and I'll torture you for this."

T 5.1 easy

F 8.1, 6.2 Threshold and 1.9 very easy cool down. Ended up with a faster finish. Last mile was 8:17. I know slow but a couple months ago I couldn't run a 400 at that pace.

S 2.7 easy. Went to a meet and felt kinda tired from the 2 threshold runs. the 2.7 was to hit my step goal very easy.

S 7 miles at a medium pace. Probably get in another 3.2 tonight. My son came with me and he was doing 10. I did 7 just so we could meet back at the car close to the same time.

Total will be 40.00 miles this week. Good week for me. Hit a couple thresholds, did some hills, and met some good people, also somewhat ran with my son since we passed each other a few times going out and back on a trail. Can't wait for this training to sink in. First time since I started running again that I feel like I'm almost in good enough shape to get into shape.

M35, 5’10”, under 160 (I hope still)

2019 bests:

5k - 16:01 (flat)

5k - 15:27 (+68’ / -270’)

Boston - 2:30:21

Upcoming:

10/13 - Chicago - Goal: finish healthy

“It's good enough for me,

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah”

-Cyndi Lauper

Mo: 8 @ 6:20 (last two in 5:58, 5:10)

Tu: AM - 10 @ 6:03 progression (7:03, 6:46, 6:29, 6:17, 6:09, 5:42, 5:34, 5:38, 5:27, 5:23). PM - Treadmill 3 @ 6:41

We: 8 @ 6:47

Th: AM - 6400m tempo in 21:12*, 10 total; PM - 3 @ 8:05

Fr: 8 @ 7:51

Sa: AM - 3 @ 7:40; PM - 5k race in 16:07, 7 total**

Su: 14 @ 6:22 (finish 6:06, 5:50)

Total: 74 miles

*Splits 5:16, 5:18, 5:22, 5:16. Muggy, 76 + 70, and cloudy. Harder than it should have been. Felt a bit sick/off even before the run, but legs felt fine.

**Small, neighborhood race starting/finishing at (and benefiting) the local cemetery, with spooky costumes and such. Course is pretty flat (+/- 56’), mostly on a bike trail. Two hairpin turns, six 90 degree turns, plus some usual bike trail curves that don’t really slow you down, but do make it difficult to nail the tangents. Cool, fall air for once (65 + 47).

Expected a time trial, but got a real race instead. Led from the start, but had another guy a few seconds behind me the whole way. Went out pretty hard, and was a bit surprised that he was still right on me. Considered slowing down a bit on the second hairpin near mile 2, to allow him to catch me, then try to win on the kick. Instead, focused on form, and put in a few little surges. Especially with the countervailing traffic on the curves, I figured I could get a little separation. Had a decent bit left for a kick on an uphill finish, but not enough to break 16.

———————————————

Weird, unseasonable warmth through Thursday. Hit 98 on Wednesday, and felt like the sun was in the wrong part of the sky for how warm the air was.

Most miles under 7:00–and fewest over 8:00–in quite some time. Amazing how different it is when you’re not slogging out 15 miles day after day.

Sunday was my longest run since September 12, over a month out from Chicago. Sure hope long runs aren’t an integral part of marathon training.

Knee is what it is, but Chicago looks like a go. Found out a friend who ran 1:11 last month will be in corral A. Hoping we can link up and I can get him to go out in 1:14-1:14:30 with me.

Female, 45, 5'4", 105

PRs 5:25/18:51/38:56/1:02:28/1:24:22/2:57:42

Goal races: Columbus Half-Marathon, Indianapolis Monumental Marathon

Goal times: 18:30 for 5K, 1:23:xx for half, sub-2:55 for full

"It's OK to feel good during marathon training" - me.

70 miles, 3.5 hours for "21 miles" of pool-running, and 1000 yards of swimming

M: 8 miles (9:03), 1 hour of pool-running, and upper body weights/core.

T: 14 miles, including a track workout of 2x1600, 4x800 in 6:10, 5:59, 2:57, 2:58, 2:57 (recoveries of 4:39, 4:30 after the 1600s; recoveries after the 800s were between 2:17 and 2:25. Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.

W: 6 miles very easy (9:08), drills+strides, yoga, and then 3 miles very easy (8:24), followed by 30 minutes pool-running.

Th: Upper body weights/core, and 2 hours of pool-running.

F: 8 miles very easy (8:48), yoga, then 4 miles very easy (8:29) plus drills and strides.

Sa: 17 miles, including 2x5 miles at marathon effort

- first 5 in 32:59 (6:36 pace - 6:37/6:28/6:43/6:35/6:36)

- 1 mile float in 7:38

- second 5 in 32:45 (6:33 pace - 6:34/6:36/6:35/6:29/6:31)

Followed with injury prevention work and 500 yards recovery swimming.

Su: 6 miles very easy (8:58), yoga, and then 4 miles very easy (8:29), followed by drills and strides.

5 weeks out from Indy Monumental; 2 weeks out from Columbus Half. Just two workouts again this week - the intervals workout on Tuesday and the marathon pace workout on Saturday.

Saturday was a treat - after what has been an extended summer of heat and humidity, we finally got one morning in the high 40s. I repeated the 2x5 at marathon pace, again focusing on proper effort (and resisting the urge to take advantage of the weather and hammer it). I was pretty darn happy to see the splits after - those put me in around 2:52-2:53 shape (assuming I get similarly perfect weather in Indy, which is a big assumption). The workout frankly didn't feel very hard, and my legs didn't feel tired like they did 2 weeks ago during this workout.

I felt really good during the second half of this week - enough to prompt my quote at the top. I have a tendency to think that I'm supposed to feel tired during marathon training, and that I'm doing something wrong/not working hard enough if I feel good. I've learned to resist that urge - when I feel like I'm slightly undertraining, I'm doing it right. But never hurts to remind myself.

One more careful week, with one more 21 mile long run, and then I start tapering for the half and then the full.

Some seriously beastly weeks going up already. Shoutouts to RRR for the monster volume and JQ for crushing his 5K PR.

My week was about as uncomplicated as I could make it.

M - 10.5mi/88min stupidly hilly. Was back at my college Sunday night/Monday morning and took advantage to run my old favorite route, which takes you straight away from civilization into the boonies, then straight up the side of a mountain to a dammed off reservoir. Elevation gain on this route is 1500ft. I ran it every Sunday for the majority of my college career - this time around I pushed it to the turnaround/peak then cruised it home.

T - 10.2 easy/82min sore quads from the downhill on the return route from the day prior. Hot/humid as hell outside.

W - 70min bike with intervals, 30mins hard strength training

TH - 10.2/80min, progressed down to 6:20ish pace for ~2mi towards the end after a super easy start. Over 100deg real feel temp on this one, but 6:20 felt easy at the end.

F - 10.2 recovery/86.5min - Weather finally started to break. Low 70s but still decently humid.

S - 10.2 easy/82.5min - First real day of fall. 49deg at the start. PM - 45min strength training

S - 10.2/77min as 40min easy recovery + 20min uphill tempo (3.25mi; 6:09/mi) + CD back to truck.

Total - 61.5mi/8h16min

Highlights were the Monday run up a mountain and the Sunday tempo. Every run other than Monday was the same route on some dirt farm roads. I'm fortunate to have a ~3+ mile continuous uphill stretch in my standard route. It rolls a bit in some spots but is more or less all at least gradually uphill, so hitting the pace I did to close out a big week for me felt awesome. I am putting together some racing plans for the tail end of October in mid-December (hopefully some trail and road half marathons). I would love to get on a fast and flat HM course and run something close to 1:20-1:22. Sub-1:20 is the longer term (hopefully sometime in the spring) goal. I'm going to try to keep hitting tempos and hills and see what I can hit for 5k/10k/HM off of that then judge where to go from there.

Shoutouts:

Gordon Tremeshko - those were two big workouts. I hope this works for you. What pace were you targeting for the 2 mile repeats?

runrincerepeat - wow on the mileage. And the half marathon is net uphill? Who thought that was a good idea?

Coach Jeff ROC - good race and thanks for the contribution to the mojo. In reflection, how do you think the racing by feel went for you? Would you do it again?

Stone Cutter - solid span of training (I would expect nothing less). This weekend's weather was a gift, wasn't it. Fingers crossed for Mrs. Stone's hamstring. At least she has time to get it cleared up.

Niceguy542007 - I think the fast running after a solid hour+ of running is excellent for strength-building.

Jot Quill - great race for both you and Slo! As we discussed on Strava, I find it really hard to run fast in low visibility conditions. I think the fact that we can see less far ahead alters our perception of pace in all sorts of ways.

3283823 - good luck with the return.

angryjohnny - I think there's a lot to be said for not committing to a plan, but just following your body.

drcrusher - you should feel good about that. And I agree - it's hard to get back into marathon pace from easy pace. I generally build into it from moderate pace now. So...my 17 with 2x5miles at marathon pace was actually structured as 2 miles easy, 1 mile moderate, and then 5 miles marathon. Recover with a mile at moderate, then do 5 more at MP, before another 3 gradually slowing down. Seems much easier than the sharp change between easy and MP.

outsiderunner - I'm just echoing the others, but....you need to let the butt get better. I'm not saying stop running completely, but even just easing off the mileage slightly and trying to stay on flat territory for a week might let you get ahead of it.

Smoove - great to see the good report. The pleasures of running without pain should never be forgotten.

Pappy - is the ankle better now?

Sub 6:00 - good luck at Chicago. I've known plenty of people who ran great marathons with a 5 week gap between the last 20 and the marathon. This may work out well for you. I hope it does.

Rucker - that uphill stretch must be good for building some strength.

It’s a real bish. But it’s a great workout Last 4.5 miles is just straight up grind.