2016 Boston Marathon Training – Week 6

The mid-Atlantic was hit by a snow storm last Friday through Sunday.  The roads and trails were snow and ice covered for days after.  For this training week, I took Sunday and Monday off.  By Tuesday, I drove to my gym and ran on the treadmill.  After three days, I ventured out on the trails again.  The rest and treadmill must have done me good because I felt terrific by week’s end!

Training Schedule

Sunday: Specific Endurance Run.  20 miles easy.
Monday: 6 miles easy + hill sprints (AM), 4 mile easy (PM).
Tuesday: 8 miles easy.
Wednesday: Progression Run.  12 miles w/6 miles moderate.
Thursday: 6 miles easy.
Friday: Specific Endurance Run. 3 miles easy, 6 miles @ marathon pace, 3 miles easy.
Saturday: 6 miles easy.

Mileage Total: 74 miles.

Adaptations.  With winter storm Jonas in the forecast, I ran long last Friday.  I took Sunday and Monday off and then did a threshold run on a treadmill on Tuesday.  By Wednesday, I was still on the treadmill but back on schedule.  On Friday, I was outdoors.

Details

Threshold Run w/Intervals.  5 Miles Easy, 2 Miles @ Half Marathon Pace + 4 x 400m @ 3K Pace, 2 Miles Easy [Log Details].

As I cautiously venture away from the back-of-the-book schedule in Hudson’s book, I read the section on speed intervals.

For half-marathon and marathon runners, speed training in the fundamental and sharpening periods may take the form of add-on repetition intervals almost exclusively.

The example provided in the books is a 20 minute threshold run @ half marathon pace + 4 x 300m @ 3K pace.  Great!  Now I have an idea of how to integrate speedwork into my workouts.

Despite the snow storm, I got to the gym on Tuesday with no trouble.  I used my Garmin’s internal accelerometer and it showed a very slow pace for the easy segment.  On the roads, easy pace has been low 9:00 pace and my Garmin was showing 9:30 pace.  I took about a minute rest and then started the half marathon pace segment.

To start, I used the 7.8 setting on the treadmill, which is supposed to be 7:42 pace for the HMP segment.  Mid-way through, I thought I was going to die!  I lowered the setting to 7.7 but it wasn’t much of a relief.  I ran 16:00 instead of 2 miles and then took 3 minutes rest before beginning the add-on intervals.

I programmed the Garmin for 1:40, which is how long it should take me to run 400m @ 3K pace.  I ran the first and second at the 9.0 setting but couldn’t finish the time.  For the third and fourth, I took the setting down to 8.8 and it went better, but…  It was a grueling workout.

Half marathon and 3K pace segments=? 

Progression Run.  12 miles w/6 miles moderate.  [Log Details].

I ran this run on the treadmill, too.  However, this time, I wore a footpod.

I kept the easy miles comfortable.  My Garmin was showing a pretty fast pace, though.  After 6 miles, I increased the treadmill setting to 6.3/6.4, which is supposed to be about 9:30 pace but, my Garmin was showing mid-8:00 pace.  By the end, I was running the 6.7/6.8 setting, which is around 8:50 pace but again, my Garmin was showing a much faster pace.  I ran over 9 miles since I didn’t think I was running quite as fast as my Garmin suggested.

After the workout, I read D.C. Rainmaker’s review of the Forerunner 220 accelerometer/footpod.  I’m still not sure what to make of my pace.

Moderate pace segment=8:08 pace? 

 

 

Specific Endurance Run. 3 Miles Easy, 6 Miles @ Marathon Pace, 3 miles Easy. [Log Details].

I left the treadmill and ventured out on the trails.  I drove to the Four Mile Run Trail since I knew it was plowed and parked on a side-street.

The first few miles were easy but my calves were sore from the treadmill running.  The temperature was hovering at freezing so I encountered a few slick spots where I stopped my Garmin and walked.  I spotted them well ahead of time thanks to my headlamp.  I reached the junction for the Mount Vernon Trail, which was snow covered, so I headed back.

 

 

 

 

By the time I reached the W&OD Trail, I was in my marathon pace segment.  There were a number of icy patches where I had to stop and walk, though.  About 5 miles in, I reached a long slick spot.  I ran on the grass to go around it and my shoes sank up to the laces in icy cold water! Ugh!

The rest of the W&OD was packed with snow and I was running uphill, so I wasn’t quite hitting marathon pace.  About 6.5 miles in, I came upon some walkers with off-leash dogs.  The dogs seemed friendly but I wanted the owners to have them under control.  I yelled several times to get their attention but they couldn’t hear me until I was right up on them.  About 7 miles in, I hit another big slick spot.  This time, I traipsed slowly across it but slipped anyway!  Luckily, I fell forward and my hand braced my fall.

I turned around at the junction for the Custis Trail since I only wanted to run 12 miles.  Going downhill, I gained some speed.  I finished my six miles but felt good so I kept pushing the pace and ran 9 miles total at marathon pace.

Marathon pace miles=8:05, 8:15, 8:11, 8:32, 7:52, 7:59, 7:24, 7:17. 7:38.  Average=7:54.

Other Running-Related Activities

Gear.  I went out to my car on Tuesday and… someone stole my gym bag out of my car!  When I was shoveling my car out, I thought about taking it inside but I thought, Don’t be silly.  Who’s going to steal a gym bag?  Well…  It was a very nice gym bag.  With the exception of sport gear, I don’t buy a lot of nice things so I’m a little upset about it.  I looked at a few bags and might buy the Nike Victory Gym Club Bag ($110) and Nike Victory Gym Tote ($100) to replace it.  Neither are as cool as my old bag, though.

I also purchased some Yaktrax since I heard the Farmer’s Almanac says our area has two more storms ahead this winter.

Nutrition.  During Tuesday’s tempo workout, I drank Liquid IV from January’s Stridebox.  It reminded me of VitaLyte.  It’s pretty tasty but I’m not sure it helped my workout.  On Wednesday, I had the Sword drink from December’s.  I had a pretty great workout and am wondering if it helped.

Media of the Week

Song.  “Cake By the Ocean,” by DNCE.  I looked up information on this band and there’s a Jonas brother in it.  And, I discovered it during a storm named Jonas.  Freaky.

The Week Ahead

There’s a warming trend in the forecast so I’m hopeful I can get back on track with my training.  I plan to do 70+ miles next week including a 20+ miler tomorrow.

Inspiration.  “To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.” – Steve Prefontaine