Week #4 - First 50 Mile Week

I was pretty bummed last week when I started to feel a cold coming on again.  I still have a little bit of congestion, but I'm feeling very close to 100% and looking forward to getting in a really good week.

My back has been holding up pretty well for most of the training thus far, and with the exception of a little tightness during Saturday's snow-run, I think I've been able to get in the necessary stretching to keep that in check.  The more miles I'm able to put in now, the stronger and more prepared my body will be to handle the 26.2.

Week #4 so far:

Scheduled

Mileage

Day

Date

(min)

(max)

Description

Pace

Distance

Notes

Sunday

22-Jan

-

3.0

Or cross training/soccer

0.00

Pats are in the Super Bowl!  Also, a 10pm soccer game tonight.  Legs didn't feel as bad from yesterday as I thought they would.

Monday

23-Jan

8.0

10.0

w/5m at half marathon pace

0:07:43

10.11

Calves a little tight today.  Chose a hilly route and decided to go hard on the hills and delay the scheduled 5m at half marathon pace.

Tuesday

24-Jan

10.0

14.0

Medium Long Run

0:07:25

12.08

Miles 2-6 were at half marathon pace, and the last ~3 were with Raleigh the dog.  It's amazing that my beard was literally frozen on Saturday, and tonight I was wearing shorts.  That's nutz!

Wednesday

25-Jan

-

5.0

Recovery

0:07:38

2.13

An easy couple of miles with Raleigh the dog.

Thursday

26-Jan

3.0

8.0

Speedwork

7.69

800/600/400/800/600/400/800/600/400/800 with a warm up and cool downs.

Friday

27-Jan

-

5.0

Recovery

0.00

Debated going for a run, but my shin was bothering me and my knee was clicking.  Decided to stay in.

Saturday

28-Jan

17.0

21.0

Long Run

0:07:31

18.10

First 3m w/Raleigh.  Then out toward Newton w/some good hills.

Thursday splits:  2:52, 2:02, 1:19, 2:58, 2:12, 1:19, 2:58, 2:13, 1:17, 2:48.

Saturday's long run went very well.  The first few miles with Raleigh were done at a relaxed 8min pace before I dropped him off at home and headed out toward Newton and Comm Ave.  Heading on Centre St. toward Comm Ave, I was able to run Heartbreak Hill and hit some other really good hills.  My legs were a little tight when I finished up, but when I checked my overall pace, including the first three with Raleigh, I was extremely happy to average 7:31 (not to mention a little surprised).  I was also able to hit 50 miles overall for the week, which I've never done before.  So far so good!

Week #3

There's still a lot of time between now and the marathon, but so far I feel like I'm seeing some solid progress, and I'm really enjoying the training.  The Hyannis Half Marathon is in just over a month and that should give me a better idea as to where I stand.

I've only run two half marathons, but I'm confident that I'll be able to improve upon my current PR from the Run to Remember in 2010 (1:41:30), especially since the first 13.1 of my training run on Saturday was in 1:39:34.  Hopefully the improvements continue.


Week 3:

Sunday

15-Jan

-

3.0

Or cross training/soccer

0

Cross train - 5m on the bike, 10 minute row, and soccer.

Monday

16-Jan

7.0

9.0

w/10 100m strides

0:06:55

8.43

It's starting to get cold out there.  8m at about a 7 minute pace and 10 strides the length of Poplar Rd which is roughly 75m rather than 100m.

Tuesday

17-Jan

9.0

13.0

Medium Long Run

0

Felt a little worn down and under the weather.  Decided to back off for the day.

Wednesday

18-Jan

-

5.0

Recovery

0:07:21

9.05

A little cold coming on, but I felt really good during the run, and was able to make up for yesterday.

Thursday

19-Jan

3.0

7.0

Speedwork

0:06:56

4

Going away party for someone at work, and speedwork was cancelled so I just ran a quick four around the Charles in Watertown.

Friday

20-Jan

-

5.0

Recovery

0:08:01

3.04

I ended up sanding the floors in the kitchen for over 10 hours today - my back could definitely feel it, but I got outside for an easy 3.

Saturday

21-Jan

16.0

19.0

Long Run

0:09:16

16

No traction in the snow.  A very good training loop though - out on Beacon, then back on Comm Ave including Heartbreak Hill.  I'll have to do this again when there isn't a snow storm.

Saturday's run in the snow was tough.  Very tough.  For every step that I took up any sort of incline, it felt like I was sliding backwards half a step.  I am happy that I was able to maintain decent form and not plod along, and I also found a good pre-long run meal (pasta w/very little sauce, 1 piece of chicken, 1 piece of bread, 1 glass of wine).  I didn't have anything in the morning beforehand though, and I think I'll need to figure that routine out as well, because my energy level dropped significantly around mile 12.  And very thankfully, I went out with a few freinds, otherwise I'm sure it would've gone by a lot slower.

All in all, I'm happy with the way this week went.

Week #2 in the books

I'm still kicking myself for the poor long run last week, but overall I'm happy with the results.  I had two consecutive 19-mile weeks while recovering with bronchitis, and to rebound with 40+ miles feels good.

This will be the first full week where I'm really back on my training schedule, but at this point I'm still planning on altering the schedule a bit depending on how my legs feel.  Hopefully I won't need to, but I'd rather not run myself into the ground this early in the process.

Week#2:

Scheduled

Mileage

Day

Date

(min)

(max)

Description

Pace

Distance

Notes

Sunday

8-Jan

-

3.0

Or cross training/soccer

0:08:01

3.2

Ran Raleigh the dog for an easy few miles this afternoon.  I was a little bit tight from yesterday's run, and felt good after an easy jog.  Also had soccer for some more good cardio.

Monday

9-Jan

7.0

9.0

w/4m at half marathon pace

0:07:18

10.02

Very sore quads when I woke up in the morning, but I felt really good once I started running.

Tuesday

10-Jan

9.0

12.0

Medium Long Run

0:08:11

11.04

Quads still very sore, but I was able to keep a relaxed pace and get in some good mileage.

Wednesday

11-Jan

-

5.0

Recovery

0

Rest

Thursday

12-Jan

3.0

7.0

Speedwork

7.28

800/1000/1200/1000/800/400/400 with a warm up and cool downs.

Friday

13-Jan

-

5.0

Recovery

0

Rest

Saturday

14-Jan

14.0

17.0

Long Run

0:07:47

16.2

Nice relaxed pace.  Felt good, but still need to refine my routine for the night before/morning of a long run.

Monday splits: 7:33, 7:13, 7:08, 6:57, 6:34, 6:49, 7:54, 7:10, 7:54, 7:45.  Felt good once I got moving, but had to navigate some traffic lights to cross the bridges on the Charles.  And if the headwind on the Charles is already this cold, I may need to look for another route very soon.

Thursday night speedwork: 2:44, 3:40, 4:27, 3:41, 2:55, 1:19, 1:14.  The group I run with has much better runners than myself and, without thinking about it too much, I ran with them for the first 800, which ended up being a little too fast for me.  I settled into a better pace for the remainder and was able to finish strong with the 2 x 400.

It begins!

I'm not quite sure how to start this thing out...but basically, I think it'll be fun to make a running log of the training I put in for the marathon.

I'll be running the Boston Marathon this April, and it will be my first marathon.  So since I have a lot of nervous energy, this will be a way to track progress, and maybe in the future I'll look back at this to see all the things I did right/wrong.
I've been averaging about 30m/week for the past 10 weeks, but the real training starts this week...

Week #1:

Scheduled

Mileage

Day

Date

(min)

(max)

Description

Pace

Distance

Notes

Sunday		1-Jan		3.0		3.0				0:07:11		8.15		I felt ok in the morning, and better and better as the day went on.  Decided to go for 4-6, but felt strong, so I kept it going since I had no soccer.
Monday		2-Jan		8.0		8.0				0:07:00		4.06		Ok in the morning again, not 100%, but wanted to get another strong day in.  Had a few spots where I ran at a good clip for a few hundred yards.  Solid run.
Tuesday		3-Jan		-		-				0:07:30		7.04		Achy in the morning, and still have some congestion that indicates I'm still sick.  But I felt better once I got on the road, and was able to hold a solid pace.
Wednesday		4-Jan		2.0		2.0				0:07:17		1.11		Calves felt tight today, and my big toe (right foot) feels sprained.  Cross train day.  10-miles on the bike, 10-minute row.
Thursday		5-Jan		3.0		8.0		Speedwork				6.49		1000/600/1000/600/1000/600/400/400 with warm up and cool downs
Friday		6-Jan		-		4.0		Recovery		0:08:32		3.1		Just an easy jog with Raleigh the dog.
Saturday		7-Jan		12.0		15.0		Long Run		0:07:58		14		I struggled a bit through this run.  I had a headache before hitting the road, and felt extremely parched around mile 11.  I should probably not have pizza and beer the night before a scheduled long run.

Thursday night's workout went alright.  I had a case of bronchitis for the past two weeks, and this was my first speed session since.  Times were 3:35, 2:06, 3:47, 2:08, 3:52, 2:11, 1:23, and 1:19.  I've never really done speed workouts, but I signed up for this program at the BU track through the Cambridge Sports Union and I'm really enjoying it so far...unfortunately, I don't have a good idea of where to settle in pace-wise, but I would prefer to run even paces throughout.  I'm sure that will improve with experience and time.

I'm also going to have to do a better job preparing the night before a long run.  That 14 should have been a lot more manageable.  Lesson learned.