2020 Boston Marathon – Week 13

After finishing the Reston 10 Miler on Sunday, it took my legs a few days to recover.  On Thursday, the 2020 Boston Marathon and London Marathon were both postponed because of the COVID19 pandemic.  But, I forced myself out the door for a 10-mile run on Friday because…  well, runners run.

Training Schedule
March 8th – March 14th

Sunday: 2020 Reston 10 Miler
Monday: Easy Run. 6 miles w/hill bounds
Tuesday: Interval Run. 4 x 1.5 miles @ marathon-pace-10 seconds
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Marathon-pace Run. 2 x 5 hilly miles @ goal marathon effort
Friday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run. 6 miles w/strides

Total: ~50 Miles

Notes.  Mid-week, I decided to move Thursday’s workout to Friday because I tweaked my knee on Tuesday.  However, after the Boston Marathon announced this year’s race would be postponed due to the COVID19 pandemic, I scraped the workout altogether and did a 10-mile run instead.

Workouts

2020 Reston 10 Miler [Log Details] [Race Report]

Back in December when I put this race on my schedule, I had high hopes for this training cycle and wanted to be in 1:16:40 (7:40 pace) shape by now.  Unfortunately, over the past few months, it’s been clear that my speed was lacking.  In the weeks before the race, I changed my expectations to 1:26:00 (8:35 pace) but moreover, changed my goal determining my goal marathon pace for the Boston Marathon.

Sunday Digit – 9/10: After a lingering morning chill, mild and sunny is a spectacular way to close the weekend, and to welcome our extra hour of evening daylight. -Brian, CWG

— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) March 8, 2020

During the early miles, I ran a comfortable pace and gave the rolling hills the respect they deserved and kept my pace in the low 8-minute pace.  But, the hill in the fourth mile was a quad-killer and my pace was just under 9 minutes.

The climbing seemed to wake up my legs and I started running much faster.  At Mile 8, I took the long downhill hard and pushed the pace to the end.  My last mile was 7:15!

I was thrilled with my time!  My confidence in running a qualifying time at the 2020 Boston Marathon couldn’t have been higher.

Time=1:21:32 (8:10 pace)

Interval Run. 4 x 1.5 miles @ marathon-pace-10 seconds [Log Details]

This workout was my commute home because I didn’t get up early enough to do it in the morning.

PM Update: Showers or storms possible this evening, then turning a bit cooler into a gray Wednesday https://t.co/CiLYU6zrJZ

— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) March 10, 2020

From work, I ran a 2-mile warm-up to the Tidal Basin.

I stopped briefly before crossing the 14th Street Bridge to put on some good, up-tempo running music.

I started the first repetition and after crossing the bridge, ran south on the Mount Vernon Trail.  The first two marathon-pace segments didn’t feel too hard and were right where I wanted them to be.

At the Four Mile Run Trail, I turned west for the third segment and into a slight wind.  By then, maintaining pace took a lot more effort.  Mid-way through the last repetition, I felt a sharp pain in my knee but fought through it to finish the workout.

In my LHR Virtual Boston Training Group, some of us wrote a little about the coronavirus pandemic and our fears that the Boston Marathon could be canceled.  I felt confident it would go on.  After all, the race has never been canceled!  Instead, I channeled my anxiety into my recent decision to sell my townhouse this spring.

1.5 mile splits=8:26, 8:30, 8:35, 8:42.  Average=8:33.

Marathon-pace Run. 10 miles [Log Details]

On Thursday, my knee still didn’t feel great so I decided to move my threshold-pace workout to Friday.  However, larger problems than my injury were causing me deep concern.

My office asked everyone to telework in case we needed to close due to the coronavirus pandemic and it was stressful trying to work under these circumstances.  Then, that afternoon, the official announcement came out that the 2020 Boston Marathon would be postponed until September 14th.

The 124th Boston Marathon has been postponed – the @BAA understands the city’s decision that the marathon cannot be held on April 20, and we offer our full support to take all efforts to postpone until September 14, 2020. Read more: https://t.co/CsnHNKOAZz pic.twitter.com/eBEGDM18FT

— Boston Marathon (@bostonmarathon) March 13, 2020

But, I was still trying to figure out when I would get my workout in that day.  In a moment of clarity, I realized, “My training cycle is probably over”.  And then, London was postponed, as well.

The 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon has been postponed and is now scheduled to take place on Sunday 4 October 2020.

Full statement: https://t.co/Jw0EbptGgw#LondonMarathon pic.twitter.com/r18eXLmZSH

— Virgin Money London Marathon #StayHomeSaveLives (@LondonMarathon) March 13, 2020

Gathering my fortitude after a mentally exhausting day, I told myself, “Runners run” and finally got out the door just before 6:30 pm.

Cherry blossom trees are sprinting toward peak bloom. They reached the ‘peduncle elongation’ stage Thursday. We’re looking at peak in about a week to 10 days. But festivities scaled back due to coronavirus. https://t.co/eYhoaLgsPP

— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) March 13, 2020

I ran to the Arlington Boulevard Trail and spent the early miles processing my emotions.  After all, this is not new to me.  I was supposed to run the New York City Marathon in 2012 but it was canceled due to Superstorm Sandy.  Logically, I was fine with the race postponement – I haven’t been running well lately and could be so much fitter by this fall.  And I remembered I set my marathon PR at the 2013 New York City Marathon!

In Rosslyn, I met up with the Custis and Mount Vernon trails,  My spirit was uplifted by the views.

By the time I exited at Crystal City and headed home, I felt better about everything but still a bit… disappointed.  I questioned whether it was “wrong” to feel this way about something as silly as a marathon when so many people are dying or having their lives severely disrupted.  I told myself, it was okay to feel that way for a day or two but no more.

Overall pace=9:43.

Health

Injury.  During the last repetition of Tuesday’s workout, I felt a very sharp pain in my left knee!  I continued running and stupidly, stopped and stretched out my hamstring., which only made it hurt worse.  The next day, my knee hurt badly enough that I went with easy running on Thursday.  It felt better on Friday and Saturday but still questionable.

Media & Motivation

News.  “2020 Boston Marathon Postponed, Will Be Held on September 14“, Runner’s World.  According to the article, since its inception in 1897, the race has never been fully canceled.  (In 1918, a marathon military relay was run instead.)

“Episode 104 – What to Do During Adverse & Challenging Times“, Magness & Marcus On Coaching.  The part where the host talked about how often runners use sports as a parable for life resonated with me the most.  We talk about overcoming obstacles and coming out stronger on the other end.  This is one of the times where we’re called to put that into action.

Racing Schedule

Future races.  On Friday afternoon, the Boston Marathon and London Marathon were both postponed to the fall due to the coronavirus pandemic.  I wasn’t completely surprised but it still took me a few hours to fully grasp that…  this training cycle was over.

Next race: 2020 Rock ‘n’ Roll DC Half Marathon on Saturday, March 28th.  On Wednesday, the Mayor of  Washington, D.C. declared a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic and banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people, effectively canceling this race.

By the end of the week, I was stunned by how quickly everything had changed and it occurred to me that there was no point in thinking about racing any time in the near future.

(My Racing Schedule)