1/19 to 1/25: Another Failure, a Bigger Goal, and Training With NOP

GBTC Invite 1-Mile Race Report: Another failed attempt. 5:03

My expectations were a bit lower going into this mile attempt. The previous week started with a 21 mile long run, followed by a 3-day virus - and getting sick put a major damper on my recovery. So leading into the 2nd sub-5 attempt, I knew the legs would struggle with pop, but I was still moderately hopeful. Long story short, it didn't happen. I know...excuses are like butt holes, whatever.

So what to do after a hard 1-mile race effort...Why not take a page out of the Nike Oregon Project's book and do a hard workout? So I went out for 6 miles and averaged 6:50/mile. Nothing great, but it was a hard effort. And the bigger goal here is Boston. So I won't sweat the mile for the time being, and I'll focus on making sure I have enough longer-quality runs from here until April.

19-Jan		GBTC/Tempo		0:06:50		10		AM: GBTC Invitational 1 mile in 5:03 PM: 5 mile tempo in 34:09, w/warmupcooldown
20-Jan		MLR Recovery				0		WTF, stomach bug.
21-Jan		MLR Moderate		0:07:30		12.02		AM: 2m w/Raleigh in 14:30 PM: 10m in the storm in 1:18:36
22-Jan		Moderate		0:07:56		7.09		Not a fast time, but it was slippery and 0 degrees, so I was working pretty hard.
23-Jan		Intervals				14.3		1000/800/600x2/1000/1600/200x2 - Nike Oregon Project at the BU track doing a workout at the same time…no big deal.
24-Jan		Recovery		0:08:05		4.29		Ran to work in -10 degrees thanks to a brutal windchill.
25-Jan		Fresh Pond/Easy				12.37		AM: Felt terrible for Fresh Pond and just decided 1 lap was enough 6:04/mile for 2.25. PM: Ran to and from BU…new 2m AR. Not me though.

Splits:

1000-3:28.3

800-2:38.62

600-1:59.91

600-1:57.52

1000-3:29.79

1600-5:45.32

200-33.69

200-34.56

Pretty cool story about the interval workout...Rupp/Salazar/Hasay/Cain/etc. were finishing a workout as CSU was warming up. That alone was pretty cool - watching an Olympic Silver medalist make 29 second 200's look easy is fun.

Even cooler - for our first 1k, I went out to set the pace and Rupp & Salazar were sitting on the bank of the track having a conversation. As we came around on the 3rd lap of the 1k, Salazar was standing up with his stop watch looking at us and said, "c'mon now, gotta pick it up!"...He could have been just telling Rupp what to expect under a certain scenario during his 2-mile WR attempt, but more likely - he has his eye on making CSU his east coast arm of  the Nike Oregon Project.

Total Miles: 60.07

1/12 to 1:/18: Down Week & Recovery

Last week I ran a lot of quality miles, so this week was a scheduled down week. Unfortunately/fortunately? - I ended up coming down with a virus, so the rest was coming whether I liked it or not. Before the forced rest, I was able to start off with a very good long run, but I could feel something coming on by the end of the day on Monday. Still an ok week mileage wise considering.

The running:

Long Run		0:07:58		21.30		Very hilly. Pretty dang fatigued at the end.
Easy		0:08:09		4.56		Just an easy recovery run.
Off				0.00		Pretty sick. Not going to be able to run today.
Easy/Easy		0:08:00		11.04		Easy double as I recover from illness - felt pretty crappy for each run. 8 strides down Poplar after first run.
Easy		0:08:21		6.26		Ran from work to watch Rupp shatter the indoor American 5k record.
Easy/3-Hill Tempo		0:07:11		10.09		AM: Easy jog to work, felt meh. PM: 3-hill tempo after work, and it felt really tough: 6.07 in 43:40.
Off				0.00		Hamstrings really tight, and frankly still feeling very worn out & moderately sick. Right shin feels like it's going away though, which is very good.

Total: 53.25

1/5 to 1/11: Six outta Seven

I hit double digits on six out of seven days this week, but decided against adding on mileage on Saturday. It's always tempting to hit new ground, but I was feeling pretty worn out and after missing just under 2 months last year with an injury 6/7 is better than 10/12...

Anyways, after missing the sub 5 minute mile by half a second, I have decided to give it one more shot before focusing on marathon training. This past week was meant to push the envelope a little bit before easing down prior to the GBTC Invitational on the 19th.

5-Jan		Long Run		0:07:55		15.17		Hosted a CSU long run - 18 people! Good times!
6-Jan		Moderate/Easy		0:07:39		11.58		AM: 7.5 at 7:39 PM: 4 easy miles
7-Jan		Speed				10.00		400x4/600/200x6 - Planned to do an 800, but felt sluggish, then I had to bail to the restroom immediately after finishing the rep. Still no bounce in my step, but I'm happy with the splits. 200's were comfortably fast.
8-Jan		MLR Recovery		0:07:45		10.40		Jogged to the Harvard indoor track and just ran around inside to avoid the bone chilling cold.
9-Jan		Intevals				10.40		800x5/400x4/200x2 - this felt fantastic. 800's felt easy, and 400's were totally in control.
10-Jan		Recovery		0:08:01		10.06		Getting in the miles.
11-Jan		Easy		0:07:34		4.05		Was supposed to be easy, apparently I went a little fast.

Tuesday Night Splits:

400-1:13.94

400-1:13.15

400-1:12.76

400-1:13.61

600-1:54.19

200-34.24

200-33.81

200-32.88

200-32.57

200-32.64

200-30.79

Thursday Night Splits:

800-2:49

800-2:40

800-2:45

800-2:37

800-2:46

400-1:14

400-1:12

400-1:13

400-1:07

200-32.96

200-33.38

I've also been incorporating a lot more cross training. I can't figure out a format to add it in and still be readable, but lets basically just say I'm doing the Myrtl and plank routine nearly everyday.

Total Miles: 71.66

BU Mini Meet 1 Mile Race Report

There isn't much to say other than, "BAH!"...but here it is anyways:

I showed up at 10am, started to get warmed up at around 11:15, walked around a bit, warmed up some more, did some light drills, then raced at 1:15ish. That wasn't ideal, but it was a good experience. It was my first BU Mini Meet, and just getting there and experiencing what is involved in showing up and getting a feel for how long it takes for 16 heats of the 400 to pass will be useful in the future...

I was fortunate that Jon Waldron was there and I spoke with him beforehand, and he was giving me splits throughout the race, which went something like this:

I was right at about 1:14 after the first 400, and feeling OK. But it didn't feel easy, which was strange, because I've run repeat 400's faster and much more comfortably. Nonetheless, I held pace and hit the 800 at about 2:28/29.

I forget my split at the 1200, but from 800 to 1300 - I was hurting. I wasn't falling apart, but there was a slight gap between myself and the next runner. At that point I should have embraced the pain and put in a little surge to catch him, but I just tried to keep the distance even. With about 300 to go I picked up the pace ever so slightly, and as I hit the bell lap the clock read ~4:27...my legs didn't feel like opening up, but I did my best to hit the gas. On the back straight there was one runner right ahead of me who I had the energy to pass, but not the real estate. I decided not to try and pass him on the outside lane, and instead, try to put more into the last final short straight. It wasn't enough (still pretty happy with that final 200 though).

5:00.43

Lessons:

1.) Either run less the week leading up to the race, or run easy (or BOTH!). The 60+ miles was a bad idea.

2.) Get in a better warm up.

3.) Make sure to do a handful of strides beforehand. I felt a little heavy-legged on the first quarter. That shouldn't be the case at all.

4.) Get familiar with, and embrace the 3rd quarter. Effort will need to increase to maintain the same pace. I know this, but it's much different talking about it vs feeling it.

5.) Do some more time trials. Why not?

12/22 to 1/4: Holiday Miles

22-Dec		Long Run		0:07:35		17.40		Newton & Weston w/CSU. Good run.
23-Dec		Recovery		0:07:50		6.08		Easy treadmiles. Ugh.
24-Dec		Tempo		0:07:02		8.17		5 mile tempo @6:45 along the three hill route. Kept the warm up and cool down a bit faster.
25-Dec		Moderate		0:07:25		8.20		Cold Christmas morning, kept it to a comfortable pace.
26-Dec		Tempo/Easy		0:07:20		12.12		AM: 6 miles at 7:15 effort, then 2+ gradually cooling down. PM: 4 miles in the slippery snow.
27-Dec		Rest				0.00		Travel to Long Island
28-Dec		Tempo		0:06:47		8.41		Very solid run. One mile warm up, 20min tempo, 2min rest, 20min tempo.
29-Dec		Long Run		0:08:03		17.01		On Long Island - never felt great during this run, but ran it on an empty stomach so good 'fat-burning' training run.
30-Dec		Recovery		0:08:32		6.01		Sore legs, easy miles. 6 strides.
31-Dec		Moderate				8.00		Only planned some easy miles, but Harvard Track was open - 1200 meter time trial cut short due to internal distress. 6 strides & drills.
1-Jan		Easy/MLR Easy		0:07:40		14.33		AM: 4m, still have some stomach issues PM: 10.33, 2 strides. Legs felt good.
2-Jan		Short Tempo				6.00		Snow storm. Jogged to the gym, 3 mile tempo at ~6min pace, finished the final quarter at 5min pace.
3-Jan		Easy		0:07:50		6.34		Still icy out, jogged to and from the gym and did some easy miles there. I hate the treadmill.
4-Jan		BU mm 1 Mile				5.00		Thisclose. 5:00.42. Lots of lessons learned though.

Weely Totals: ~60 and ~62

I suppose I'll have to have a separate write-up for my failed sub 5min mile attempt. Freakin hell.