2019 Boston Marathon – Week 14
I had so much confidence coming off the 2019 Rock n Roll DC Half Marathon. But, my body told me it needed more recovery. I pushed my Monday workout back a day and all cylinders were clicking again.
Training Schedule
March 10th – March 16th
Sunday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Monday: Cruise Interval Run. 2 x 3 miles @ marathon pace -10 seconds w/1 mile recovery jog
Tuesday: Rest or Cross-Train
Wednesday: Threshold Run. 11 miles w/9 miles @ goal marathon pace
Thursday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Friday: Easy Run. 10 miles
Saturday: Easy Run. 10 miles
Total: ~53 Miles
Notes. To give myself extra recovery from the 2019 Rock n Roll DC Half Marathon, I moved Monday’s workout to Tuesday. That meant the marathon-pace run was on Thursday. But, I kept my long run on Saturday.
Workouts
Cruise Interval Run. 2 x 3 miles @ goal marathon pace – 10 seconds w/1 mile recovery jog [Log Details].
I started this workout the day before but quickly realized I needed another easy day. The weather was comfortably cool. After running the 2019 Rock n Roll DC Half Marathon, I confirmed my goal marathon pace should be 7:55. I started the first segment on the Four Mile Run Trail. I went out fast but decided to just see how things went. I ran the easy mile on the Mount Vernon Trail around National Airport and turned around at the pedestrian bridge.
During the second repetition, I finally started feeling tired around mid-way through. But, I knew I could hold a strong pace. In the end, I ran half marathon pace instead but it felt like the same effort as previous workouts. I know these workouts should feel hard but they I’m crushing them!
3 mile paces=7:30, 7:35. Average=7:33.
Threshold Run. 11 miles w/9 miles @ goal marathon pace [Log Details].
I didn’t sleep well the night before and was up for an hour at around 3am. I made this run my commute to save some time. However, that meant the marathon pace segment would be interrupted by some intersections.
I started the goal marathon pace segment after less than a mile. My legs actually felt good as I ran south to Alexandria on Glebe Road to Potomac Yards. A few miles later, I connected with the Mount Vernon Trail. The next five miles were uninterrupted and around 7:40-7:50 pace, a little faster than goal. I crossed 14th Street Bridge into Washington, DC and finished the goal marathon pace segment.
I felt so sluggish and was surprised to see this effort was slightly faster than my last run on the same route!
Splits=7:58, 7:55, 7:51, 8:00, 7:46, 7:47, 7:42, 7:52, 7:54. Average=7:52.
Long Run. 14 miles [Log Details].
I left the house a little late – just before 9:30am. By then, the weather was around 45 degrees so I wore shorts, a long sleeve shirt, and my short sleeve from the Eugene Marathon. I thought about carrying fluids or gels but just headed out the door.
Once outside, I realized it was very windy – sustained winds around 20 miles per hour with 30 mph gusts! My legs felt pretty tired but spring was in the air! I ran the first two miles uphill to Washington Boulevard just outside Ballston. I picked up the Custis Trail. I made a quick water stop knowing it was my only opportunity for fluids. In Rosslyn, I connected with the Mount Vernon Trail and headed south running 8:20 to 8:30 paces.
I ran through Crystal City averaging just over 9:00 pace. It was a long week and I finished knowing I put in good work.
Overall pace=8:48.
Health
Sleep. Cumulative fatigue of the Hansons Marathon Method and only averaging seven hours of sleep took its toll. I was very tired all week. Insomnia kept me up for a while on Thursday night.
Weather
Winter finally broke and morning temperatures were in the 40s. It actually reached 65 degrees on Friday morning! Winds 17-23 miles per hour w/26-35 mph gusts for my long run on Saturday.
Routes
Sights. On Sunday, I ran my easy run on Roosevelt Island, which is a small piece of land between Rosslyn, Virginia and Georgetown in Washington, DC. (The Island is part of D.C. and maintained by the National Park Service.).
Clothing
Tights. Brooks Greenlight Capri Pants. The pants have two side pockets and a very deep back pocket. The fabric doesn’t give as much as other brands I own (like the Saucony Bullet Capri) but they aren’t restrictive. And, they cut pretty low. I’m fairly tall (5’7”) and the stop just short of mid-calf on me. Price: $70.
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Episode 53: Brad Stulberg“, The Morning Shakeout. A co-worker, who isn’t a runner, mentioned The Passion Paradox a few weeks ago in the context of my job change. As a “pusher” myself, I could identify with wanting to put in more work because I love it but knowing I should stop one repetition short and rest.
Music. “Some Nights“, Fun. I found comfort in this familiar pop song and how I feel one way “some nights“ and another way other nights.
(My “Songs of the Week” on Spotify)
Motivation.
[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”raised” width=”800px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”4″ border_color=”#f4d83f” rounded_corners=”false” outside_shadow=”false” ]”Fate loves the fearless”. – James Russell Lowell [/dropshadowbox]
Coming off the 2019 Rock n Roll DC Half Marathon, I gained so much confidence that the idea of setting a personal record this spring crept into my thoughts.
Racing Schedule
Next race: 2019 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler on Sunday, April 7th.
(My Racing Schedule)
