2017 Eugene Marathon Training – Week 12

One of the unexpected mental parts of running is how, despite dozens of races behind me,  I still get anxious during race week.  I ran less overall mileage this week but the average pace was faster – 8:27.  Less than 2 months until the Eugene Marathon!  I raced today, which should guide my paces going forward.

Training Schedule
Week 12: March 5th – March 11th

Sunday: Recovery run. 8 miles + strides
Monday: Medium run. 12 miles w/5 miles @ MP+5-10%
Tuesday: Interval run. 7 miles. Speed work with run club
Wednesday: Tempo run. 14 miles w/5 x (0.25 mile @ marathon pace – 5%, 1 mile @ marathon pace + 5%).
Thursday: Recovery run. 8 miles.
Friday: Recovery run. 6 miles.
Saturday: 2017 Rock ‘n’ Roll DC Half Marathon

Mileage Total: ~65 Miles

Adaptations. I skipped Sunday’s recovery run due to a hang-over.  On Monday, I ran the entire run at just slower than marathon pace.  On Tuesday, I made up an alternation workout for intervals.  On Wednesday, I just ran steady.

Goal.  Hit my goal pace for RnR DC.  Outcome: I’ll save that for my race report…

Workout Details

Medium Run.  12 miles w/5 miles @ MP+5-10% [Log Details].

I decided to just run the entire 12 miles “hard” rather than a mix of recovery and “steady” running.

It was easy running hard at the start, but then it started to take more effort.  I also noticed my glutes hurt.  In Rosslyn, I stopped at an intersection where some Army men were doing push-ups in the middle of their run.  It’s always motivating to see them out training.  A few miles later, I ran the scattered hills along the Custis Trail.  I tried to keep the same cadence instead of the same pace and thought, “This is why you’re doing those hill repeats each week!”  I stopped for water at the junction between the Custis and W&OD Trail.  I was tempted to linger.  My legs felt tired but I kept turning them over until I was home.

In the end, the run wasn’t as satisfying as I thought it would be.  I thought it would be faster after a rest day.

Overall pace=8:12.

Interval Run. 7 miles. Speed work with run club 5 x (0.25 mi. @ 5K-10K pace, 0.75 mile steady @ marathon pace + 5% [Log Details].

I skipped the workout with the club – they’ve transitioned to doing more HMP and MP intervals and I can’t keep up with them.  I pulled out The Science or Running and re-read what I should aim to do during this phase.  Since I enjoy alternation workouts so much, I decided to try it as an interval workout

The first rep was in an area of town where my GPS messes up so I didn’t pay much attention that that.  Once I was on the even Mount Vernon Trail, I was able to consistently run repetitions around 6:50 pace – except the last rep which was on an uphill.

I thought I ran well.  I was happy I ran a repetition at 6:40 pace!  Glory days!

Split paces=8:04/8:19 (set 1), 6:49/8:37 (set 2), 6:40/8:30 (set 3), 6:53/8:32 (set 4), 7:23/8:30 (set 5).  Mean=7:01/8:31.

Tempo Medium Run. 14 miles w/5 x (0.25 mile @ marathon pace – 5%, 1 mile @ marathon pace + 5%) Steady [Log Details].

I decided to run a little easier than planned since this would be three hard days in a row and I have a race on Saturday.

I felt great out the door.  My legs had a lot of pop in them.  I did the climb to the Custis Trail faster than usual.  I concentrated on “rolling over” the hills and again reminded myself that I’ve been doing hill repeats for these moments.

On the Mount Vernon Trail, I continued running strong until Gravelly Point.  But, it wasn’t a drastic slow down.  Just recognition that the effort wasn’t “steady” anymore.

It was the second fastest time that I’ve run this route since I created it in 2014!

Overall=8:23.

2017 Rock ‘n’ Roll DC Half Marathon.  [Log Details].

Logistics went well – I parked in Capitol Hill and jogged to the start.  The weather was less than ideal – about 32 degrees and 15 mph winds.  I caught up with a friend from my running club in the corral until the start.

I ran well in the early miles.  I was running about mid-7:00 pace, which was faster than I intended.  But, I felt great!  The Calvert Hill left me feeling completely destroyed, though.  I hung on through Columbia Heights and thought I could rally going down North Capitol Street – and I did for a while – but by Mile 10 my left glute was killing me.  I jogged the next three miles trying to stay close to 7:45 pace but failing.  By the end of the race, I was completely out of energy.  But, I managed a mile cool-down back to my car.

I’ll post a full race report in a few days but generally, I’m okay with how it went but realize I could have done better.

Overall pace=7:49.

Health

Injuries. I literally ran my butt off last Saturday and had sore lower glutes most of the week.  I saw my chiropractor on Friday, as usual.

Weight.  My weight dropped a little this week.  I didn’t change anything except I started a Blue Apron subscription.  Maybe I’ve been eating out too much?

Sleep.  I got plenty of sleep on Sunday nursing a hang-over.  Ugh!  I slept pretty well for the rest of the week, too.

Weather

Morning temperatures were in the high 30s on Monday but climbed to low 50s by Wednesday.  I got to run in capris and shorts for a couple of days!  It was cold and rainy for Friday’s run, though.  Today, it was near freezing and windy for the 2017 RnR DC Half Marathon.

Racing Schedule

Future races.  I finally booked my plane tickets for the Boston Marathon this week!  We got our bibs yesterday.  I’ll be in Wave 2, Corral 7.

Next race: 2017 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler on April 2nd. (My Complete Racing Schedule.)

How much do you cut back during a tune-up race week?