2018 Boston Marathon – Week 3

The only bathroom in my townhouse was being remodeled, so I stayed at a hotel this week.  I took Sunday off because I was very tired after my long run last week and I didn’t pack the right clothes for running in the rain or on the treadmill in my hotel.  The rest day helped the pain in my right foot go away and I had a good week of running!  The week ended with a cold and rainy long run with 10 miles at goal marathon pace.

Training Schedule
February 4th – February 10th

Sunday: Recovery Run. 6 miles (AM) + Recovery Run. 4 miles (PM).
Monday: General Aerobic Run + Speed. 8 miles w/10x100m strides.
Tuesday: Medium-long Run. 13 miles.
Wednesday: Recovery Run. 6 miles.
Thursday: Medium-long Run. 13 miles.
Friday: Recovery Run. 6 miles.
Saturday: Long Run. 19 miles w/10 miles @ marathon race pace.

Mileage Total: ~75 Miles

Notes.  I took Sunday off, so my overall mileage was lower than scheduled.  I also skipped the strides on Monday and ran Wednesday’s recovery run on the treadmill.

Workout Details

General Aerobic Run + Speed. 8 miles w/10x100m strides [Log Details].

Sunday was a rest day and my legs felt great during this run!  I thought, “Maybe you should consider taking more days off.”  Still, I didn’t bolt out the doors of my hotel.  I ran about three miles north through neighborhoods to the Custis Trail, ran a mile, and then hooked up with the W&OD Trail.  It was another two miles to Columbia Pike, which is normally where I do my strides, but since I still had two miles to go until I reached my hotel I skipped them.

Overall pace=8:45.

Medium-long Run. 13 miles [Log Details].

I wanted to do this run as a progression, so I ran easy for the first three miles but picked up the pace in Ballston on my way to the Custis and Mount Vernon trails.  I was probably motoring at around 8:20 to 8:30 pace, in part because I wanted to catch this view at sunrise:

I tried to run harder after stopping for water at Roosevelt Island but it didn’t result in a much faster pace.  I felt frustrated and eased up when I reached Gravelly Point.  I’m running so much slower than usual.  In Crystal City, I left the trail and ran easy back to my hotel.

Overall pace=8:42.

Medium-long Run. 13 miles. [Log Details].

I ran the same route from Tuesday for this run.  To keep my pace honest, I reminded myself that I had a big workout on Saturday.  On the Mount Vernon Trail, there were a few icy patches and I had to slow down to watch my steps.  Checking my pace, I noticed my Garmin was off!  “Not again!”  I stopped and turned it back on but it turned off again on my way to Humpback Bridge and Gravelly Point.  I wasn’t exactly crushing this workout, so I wasn’t going to obsess about the watch malfunction.  During a stop, I noticed I had several messages.  It was a cold day so I waited until I reached the Whole Foods in Pentagon City to go inside and check.  My bathroom contractor had been calling.  I talked with him for a couple of minutes before completing my cool-down back to the hotel.

Overall pace=9:25.

Long Run. 19 miles w/10 miles @ marathon race pace [Log Details].

I started the run from my house to make sure I had all the clothes and gear I wanted.  To keep my pace easy, I listened to a podcast and focused on my breathing during the warm-up on the W&OD and Custis trails.  I also ate a Crank Sport e-Gel about four miles into the run.

I started the marathon pace segment at Glebe Road (and switched to music).  The effort – 8:20 pace – felt harder than what I’d run in a marathon but I tried to hold on to it.  It started raining when I reached the Mount Vernon Trail.  I started feeling cold in my long sleeve shirt and shorts.  Despite the miserable conditions, I forced myself to enjoy the experience because I haven’t felt a lot of joy from running lately.  My time dropped to around 8:00 pace.

I was tired and wanted to stop when I reached the Four Mile Run Trail.  I told myself, “You can slow down, but you can’t stop.”  The mantra worked and my pace didn’t drop much by the time I finished the marathon pace segment near I-395.  The last two miles were 8:11 pace  I was so proud that I ran so well!

Marathon pace segment=8:08.  Overall pace=8:56.

Health

Injuries.  The rest day on Sunday worked wonders.  The radiating pain in my right foot went away!

Sleep. I stayed up late watching the Super Bowl on Sunday and working on a long overdue training supplement on Wednesday, but otherwise went to bed early and slept well this week.  (The bed in my hotel room was so comfortable that I bought the bedding online!)

Weather

It was another cold and windy week!  Temperatures hovered around 30 degrees most days, (which made for slick running surfaces) with winds blowing over 20 miles per hour. On Saturday, it was mid-40s but rainy.

Racing Schedule

Next race:  2018 Reston 10 Miler on Sunday, March 4th.  (My Complete Racing Schedule.)