Average Training Log/Thread - Just Keeping Track

60 Miles for the week. Going to get back to what I do best of stupid high slow mileage and consistency. Need more calories. Would love any input on how to keep them coming in when the furnace is hot.

August 29th - September 5th
Miles = 82.25 Miles
Elevation Gain = 1,949 Ft
First week of official marathon pace work. Two workouts and two strength/rehab sessions. Wednesday felt very tight but aerobically fine. Sunday felt amazing and easy to get down calories during the run. No water on both but 3 gels on Sunday. One in middle of the second rep and more every 30 minutes until the end. Consuming 34-4000 calories a day has made me feel and recover much better. Weight has atleast stabilized. This was the reason I did not double on Wednesday. I think we will resume training as usual and go back to doubles on those days.
Monday
Rest
Tuesday
AM Run: 11 Miles - 7:44
Wednesday
PM Workout: 10 Miles = 3 Up - 7:21, 10 x 1 min on/off (5:45, 5:53, 5:45, 5:47, 5:40, 5:40, 5:50, 5:42, 5:48, 5:43, 5:27), 4 down - 7:26
Thursday

AM Run: 5.25 Miles - 8:01

PM Run:12 Miles - 7:30
Friday
PM Run: 12 Miles - 7:39
Saturday
AM Run: 10 Miles - 7:01

PM Run: 6 Miles - 7:45
Sunday
AM Long Run: 16 Miles - 6:54 = 2 Up --> 3 x 2 Miles (6:06 - 6:06, 6:06 - 6:03, 6:01 - 6:03) / 1 float (7:05, 6:58, 6:58) --> 4 Down

September 6th - September 11th
Miles = 93.5
Elevation Gain = 2,684 - 3,000 feet

Two workouts and two weight training sessions. Sunday took 3 gels. One at the beginning of the 10 miles at goal pace and one every 30 minutes after, water every two miles.

left leg is popping a lot and cracking, feel very water heavy and bloated. Think my body has reached a pretty decent equilibrium now with calories. Going to back off the over consumption now that I feel my under recovery is over.

Monday
Rest
Tuesday
AM Run: 12.4 Miles - 7:29
Wednesday
AM Run: 6 Miles - 8:04
PM Workout: 10.5 Miles = 3 Up - 7:26, 6 x 800 (5:55, 6:06, 5:56, 5:56, 5:56, 5:56) w/ 400 J, 3 Down - 7:37
Thursday
AM Run: 6 Miles - 7:58
PM Run:12 Miles - 7:35
Friday
PM Run: 10.2 Miles - 7:42
Saturday
AM Run: 12 Miles - 7:18
PM Run: 4.5 Miles + Strides - 7:40
Sunday
AM Long Run: 20 Miles = 8.1 Miles Up - 7:24, 10 Miles - 6:09, 1.9 Miles Down - 7:33

September 12th - September 18th
Miles = 91.5
Elevation Gain = 2,926 Feet
Two workouts and two weight training sessions/plyo and stretches. Forcing some band work with my left leg has helped immensely and it no longer pops. All pain has subsided and I feel very fit. Hitting workouts without too much aerobic effort just muscular. Wednesday I missed a minute on one of the 5 minute reps and ended up just adding a hard minute at the end instead. Friday miles with the kids and XC. Saturday was too fast in the am for an easy run. Our training group agreed to go out easy around 8s-7:30s and somehow ended up dropping 6:50-40s. Really slowed it down at the halfway point. Sunday took 2 gels and sweated lots. No water, but my sweat rate still has me losing about 5-6lbs and covered in salt. Going to have to try a few treadmill long runs soon to practice taking in more calories. This is something that I've experimented with and its worked really well in the past.

Monday
Rest
Tuesday
AM Run: 12.1 Miles - 7:19
Wednesday
AM Run: 6.12 Miles - 8:08
PM Workout: 10.8 Mile Workout = 3 Up - 7:31, 5 x 5 min -> 1 min / 2 min stand or walk rest (5:59, 5:54, 5:53, 5:34, 5:32, 5:10 [1min]), 3 Down - 7:31
Thursday
AM Run: 6.1 Miles - 8:05
PM Run:12 Miles - 7:33
Friday
PM Run: 10 Miles - 2 (7:42), 5.5 (7:35), 2.5 (7:40)
Saturday
AM Run: 12.4 Miles - 7:06
PM Run: 6 Miles - 8:06
Sunday
AM Long Run: 16 Miles - 7:04 = 2.5 Up -> 4 x 1 (5:58, 5:58, 5:55, 5:47) / 1 (7:13, 7:12, 7:14, 7:05) -> down to 16

Last update until Monday, I will be running Chicago HM as a workout. The most recent mileage is as follows

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

PM Run: 12 Miles - 7:27

Wednesday

AM Run: 6.16 Miles - 7:51

PM Workout: 10 Miles = 3 Up - 7:23, 4 Miles - 6:06 (6:13, 6:15, 5:59, 5:57), 3 Miles Down - 7:31

Make sure to wear a bulletproof vest

Chilling there right now, feels pretty safe to me

1:16:21

32 overall

Splits

5 Mile - 31:08

Turnaround 40:25

10 Mile 58:38

Full Course 1:16:21

They modified the course, it was short.

I LOVE These please keep doing them, you are so inspiring

People are saying that they got 12.6-12.7, which means about a 6 flat average after going out. I will recap tomorrow the workout but it felt very good. But it’s going to be a late night and I still have to teach in 6 hours by the time I’m home

Thank you for the kind words, I will certainly keep this going!

Race Recap

Race - Chicago Half Marathon

Time - 1:16:21

Distance - 12.6 / 12.7

Reflection - This was supposed to be ran as a workout with another teammate. We wanted to go out and use this as a progressive run for New York and see where the chips landed. Going out the night before and getting the workout from my coach, I was supposed to do a 4-4-4-Fast workout with the first 4 miles around marathon pace effort. This was between 6:15-6:10 and this was immediately conversational with my teammate into a 15 mhp headwind in Chicago. It was only us two from the gun and I made a strong effort to stay back and not creep up forward or faster. The next 4 miles were to be between 6:05-6:00 pace, trying to keep the effort honest into around HMP or so. Again, this was conversational and directly into the headwinds of Chicago along the lake front. One gel at mile 6 to practice like I would any other workout. Breathing was a little difficult on course when taking the gel as some of it stuck to my throat, but I skipped all aid stations since it was nice and cool at high 50's. At mile 8 at the turnaround we started to try and creep faster, I wanted to dip below 6 for the last 4 and go harder on the last mile but this is where the race fell apart (from a measurement standpoint). It was not communicated that the course had been shortened at the halfway point and when running my teammate and I were talking, breathing and having a good time with the female lead. Trying to creep slowly but controlled sub 6:00 we saw the mile marker and timing mat for mile 9. "No f**king way," I said to him, I looked at my watch and we were still a half mile or so out until the next mile (mile 9) according to GPS. "That can't be right". We both continued to run but thought maybe they'd messed up, again the next mile marker came faster than we expected at mile 10. "Dude, are we running faster than we think?" I had no clue, I was having a conversation the entire time with a teammate and started going by the course timer. Passing each mile marker, I couldn't believe it, "Dude, we're going to PR in a workout while talking, there's no way." We geeked, we talked the whole time about how excited we were. Having gone from a month ago blowing up at a 5km race and running 19+ minutes to averaging a 5:50 pace for a workout for a half marathon was insane to me. We ran in, he said he wanted to turn on the jets after mile marker 13 and I said "GO FOR IT". I wanted to take it in, run in controlled and feeling like I didn't give it all. I saw 1:16 on the clock, thinking there was no way I was seriously going to PR this big, smile, feel controlled, talk and have fun, and walk away with the best my legs ever felt.

Well I was right, there was no way. The course was short by .4 or .5 Miles. This would have averaged around 6:00 flat pace. This felt controlled, this was a workout, this was fun. But god damn, I feel stupid. Fit, but I feel silly. Not upset, but I'm getting better and in a good place. A lot of right steps and good directions, I can only hope that New York will be a good race and that Boston 2023 will be even better. Since moving I've felt like I've had to restart a bit in my running, like my progress took a step back or reset. This race made me feel like I took some of that back. It would have been a sub 1:20, faster than NY Half last year and done as a workout. Only a year ago in November did I have a goal of trying to break 1:20 and that was when training on the flattest terrain possible. I've become a better and more well rounded runner since then I feel, and I'm hoping I can continue with being that as I move forward.

Really want to take these next 4 weeks of specific work hard. Higher mileage maybe, and once that's all done. I want to keep trying to get my legs to move faster. Work on some mobility, and just be a better human being.

Splits

1 - 6:13

2 - 6:11

3 - 6:11

4 - 6:07

5 - 6:03

6 - 6:04

7 - 6:03

8 - 6:02

9 - 5:58

10 - 6:01

11 - 6:01

12 - 5:57

12.6/7 - 5:50

September 19th - September 25th
Miles = 68.1 Miles
Elevation Gain = 1,627 Feet
Two workouts, no strength. One workout on Wednesday and then Sunday a progression run ran in a race setting. Wanted to get into lower 5:5x but wasn't there.

Monday
Rest
Tuesday
AM Run: 12 Miles - 7:27
Wednesday
AM Run: 6.16 Miles - 7:51
PM Workout: 10 Mile Workout = 3 Up - 7:23, 4 Miles - 6:06 (2 Miles at MP --> 2 Miles at HMP), 3 Miles Down - 7:31
Thursday
PM Run:12.1 Miles - 7:35
Friday
PM Run: 10.25 Miles - 7:58
Saturday
AM Run: 4.12 Miles - 7:48
Sunday
Chicago Half Marathon: 12.6 Miles - 6:03

After getting some health checkups, I don't seem to have any major issues just some low iron again. Do not know anything about ferritin levels but I am supplementing with an iron pill and a few other things. Health is getting better and feeling less awful compared to the months/weeks prior. Hoping everything transitions well into a new year and am looking into perhaps trying to change my focus after Boston 2023. Take a break from marathoning for a year and try shorter stuff for a while with some ultras in there just for fun.

September 26th - October 2nd
Miles = 91.2 Miles
Elevation Gain = 2,300ish Feet
Two strength sessions and two workouts. Wednesday medium long run since we 'raced' on Sunday. 14 miles with cutting down to 6:40/30 once I felt warmed up. Long day of teaching meant I never really felt warmed up but still got it done. No gels but used hot cocoa mix from the office like it was maurton. Friday, Saturday, Sunday all in the rain and wind. Saturday was bearable. Sunday was a slip and slide for the roads. Went for the first 5 with a friend outside, then did the workout with decent footing indoors. Finished outside. Sunday took 4 gels, vomited. Pretty dehydrated, I think too little water during the run and too many gels too soon. Took them all within the span of about 10-13 miles or so. One at the start of mile 6 and one every 3 miles or so.

Mentally in a bit of a funk. Usually experience this when training gets really marathon specific for a few weeks. Tired, not tired, sleep but can't sleep. Kind of found this is a routine a month out ever since South Carolina.

Monday
Rest
Tuesday
AM Run: 12.1 Miles - 7:29
Wednesday
PM Workout: 14 Mile Progressive Run - 7:15 = 1-6 8:00-7:40, 6-14 cutting down every mile from 7:30 to 6:30
Thursday

AM Run: :5.2 Miles - 7:53

PM Run: 12 Miles - 7:22
Friday
PM Run: 10 Miles = 4 Miles - 7:47, 6 Miles - 7:53
Saturday
AM Run: 12 Miles - 7:21

PM Run: 6 Miles - 7:59
Sunday
AM Long Run: 20 miles = 5 Up - 7:21, 10 Miles - 6:11 = 2 x 4 Miles at MP (6:09 - 6:07, 6:5x, 6:07-6:05, 7ish), 5 Down - 7:17

October 3rd - October 9th
Miles = 90.2 Miles
Elevation Gain = 2,600 - 3,000ish Feet

Two strength sessions and two workouts.

Wednesday session and Tuesday in the pouring rain and 'cold' of 50f. No school Wednesday meant I could do a morning session. Body was cold and wouldn't warm up. The fartleks went smooth and without a problem into a headwind and rain.

Thursday was done on the treadmill in the morning. Covid Bivalent Booster and Flu Shot made me feel like death. AM Run indoors and PM Run outside.

Sunday's workout was rough, cold and couldn't get my heartrate back up each time I floated, some cramping issues and hills made set 3 cut short. Mentally resent myself and extended the recovery in between an extra mile to get to the 4th set. Was supposed to be a MP workout of 4 x 3 miles. 1st set around 6:15, 2nd and 3rd around 6:10 goal pace, last set faster. managed about 3/4 of that with mostly 13-15s going uphill. Last set in the :10 - sub 6. About 800-900 feet of gain on this 20 miler.

Aerobically this was not hard. Leg wise, this hurt. They did not want to move. I wonder if it would help to find a flat flat trail or route to use and get my mind-body connection for fast turnover back? Not sure why but this 'feels' easier than when I did it in the south, but it physically feels 10x harder.

Monday
Rest
Tuesday
AM Run: 12 Miles - 7:29
Wednesday
AM Workout: 10.7 Mile Workout = 3 Up - 7:48, 15 x 1 min on (5:51, 5:54, 5:57, 5:46, 5:53, 5:46, 5:42, 5:43, 5:45, 5:41, 5:31, 5:29, 5:46, 5:37, 5:34) / 1 min off (7:13, 7:27, 7:04, 7:36, 7:14, 7:16, 7:22, 7:09, 7:25, 7:11, 7:18, 7:27, 7:13, 7:15, 7:22), 3 Down - 7:56

PM Run: 5 Miles - 7:46
Thursday
AM Run: :6 Miles - 7:47
PM Run: 12 Miles - 7:26
Friday
PM Run: 8 Miles - 8:06
Saturday
AM Run: 12.1 Miles - 7:23
PM Run: 4.3 Miles - 7:53
Sunday
AM Long Run: 20 miles - 6:51 = 3 Up -> 4 x 3 Miles (6:21, 6:17, 6:16 / 7:06) (6:14, 6:31, 6:14 / 7:25) (6:19, 6:33 / 7:26, 7:24 - 8:11) (6:06, 6:10, 6:01 / 7:09) --> Down to 20

October 10th - October 16th
Miles = 99.25 Miles
Elevation Gain = 2,554 Feet
Two strength sessions and two workouts.

Peak week of mileage and two key workouts, last big ones. Three weeks til NYC. Didn't plan on running on Monday but XC obligations as an assistant took over and somebody had to run with the kids. I had to step up since other coaches were late and couldn't make it. Wednesday was about 6 hours after the double on pretty little sleep. Early start to the school day and did it around noon. Sunday was solid, 3 gels no water. I'm bad about that.

Monday
PM Run: 7.3 Miles - 8:13
Tuesday
PM Run: 12.88 Miles = 11.13 Miles - 7:46 + Strides + 1.25 Miles - 7:18
Wednesday
AM Run: 7 Miles - 7:38
PM Workout: 11.76 Mile Workout = 3 Up - 7:04, 5.62 Miles - 6:12 = 6 x 1km HM - 10Km Pace (5:56, 5:58, 5:42, 5:42, 5:34, 5:34) w/ 1 min jog --> 6 x 200 / 200 jog (5:16, 5:15, 4:59, 4:53, 5:04, ? ), 3.14 Down - 7:21
Thursday
AM Run: :6.06 Miles - 8:07
PM Run: 12 Miles - 7:09
Friday
PM Run: 8.1 Miles - 7:53
Saturday
AM Run: 10 Miles - 7:17
PM Run: 4.2 Miles - 8:04
Sunday
AM Long Run: 20 miles - 6:41 = 3 Up --> 4 @ MP(6:14, 6:12, 6:12, 6:11) /1 Float (7:06), 4 @ MP (6:11, 6:12, 6:12, 6:09) /1 Float (7:04), 3 Faster (6:05, 6:06, 5:56)/1 Float (7:01) --> 3 Down

October 17th - October 23rd
Miles = 81 Miles
Elevation Gain = 1,700 - 2k Feet
Two strength sessions and two workouts. Wednesday was during XC voluntary practice. Working from Half Marathon pace to 10km pace. Wanted to start in the 50s but immediately was in the 40s and decided to break the workout into two sets of 4. 1st set in the 40s and 2nd in the 30s. Fun workout with some kids yelling at me for the last set since we share the track. Sunday was paced on a bike and given some fluids for the first time in a while. Wasn't sweating until I actually started drinking water w/ gatorade zero. Then, I couldn't stop sweating. Nothing aerobically difficult but felt stomach crampy towards the end. No splits for Sunday but I let the biker do the entire timing so I trust him.

Starting to get colder and darker earlier/later. Caved and got a Planet Fitness membership. I'll probably need it in the winter for a bit anyway.

Monday
Rest
Tuesday
PM Run: 12 Miles - 7:28
Wednesday
AM Run: 5 Miles - 7:27
PM Workout: 12.25 Mile Workout = 3 Up - 7:22 , 8 x 1km w/ 200 Jog = 5.85 - 6:04 (5:49, 5:46, 5:43, 5:46, 5:37, 5:39, 5:35, 5:38), 3.4 Down - 7:54
Thursday
AM Run: 4 Miles - 7:51
PM Run: 10.1 Miles - 7:27
Friday
PM Run: 8 Miles - 7:42
Saturday
AM Run: 10.25 Miles - 7:19
PM Run: 4.2 Miles - 7:56
Sunday
AM Long Run: 15 Miles = 3 Up - 7:13, 10 Miles - 6:08 = 1-6 (6:10s) 7,8,9,10 (6:0x high - low), 2 Down - 7:10