2021 London Marathon – Week 15
After staying up late on Saturday night, I pushed my first 22-mile effort of this training cycle to Monday. After my interval run on Wednesday, I skipped another workout for the week and did easy runs in preparation for the South Lakes 10K on Sunday! Finally, I’ll be racing in-person again!
Training Schedule
August 22nd - August 28th
Sunday: Long Run. 22 miles
Monday: Easy Run. 5 miles + strides
Tuesday: Interval Run. 6 x 400m @ 5K-10K pace w/400m recovery jog
Wednesday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Thursday: Marathon-pace Run. 13 miles w/9 miles @ goal marathon pace
Friday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Total: ~62 Miles
Notes. I pushed my long run to Monday morning, and pushed my speed workout back a day, as well. I also skipped a workout on Thursday in advance of the South Lakes 10K on Sunday!
Training paces
| Recovery | Easy | Marathon | Threshold | Repetition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
No faster than 10:45 |
9:45-10:45 |
8:55--9:20 |
8:30-8:55 |
7:30 - 7:40 (5K) |
Workouts
Long Run
On Saturday night, we had friends over until 11 p.m. and I didn’t get to bed until midnight. Oddly, our greyhound also decided this was the night she finally wanted to sleep in our bedroom and woke me up a few times. I finally got out of bed at 7 a.m. and spent the next hour contemplating whether to run long or not. In the end, I decided “not” because it would be in the mid-80s when I finished.
On Monday, I was up by 4:30 a.m. and after having coffee and toast with peanut butter, I was out the door in an hour. I put three Gu Energy Gels in a SPIbelt and some Udderly Smooth cream in case my severely chaffed skin needed it.
I rarely get up early enough that it’s still dark outside and i reveled at seeing my new neighborhood in the moonlight. I cut over to the Four Mile Run Trail and got an eerie feeling running in seclusion. As light took over the landscape and the run began to feel more normal, I turned on a podcast. Soon, I was in Shirlington crossing into Alexandria. By then, I was running around 10:30 pace.
After weaving through neighborhood roads, I stopped at the top of Braddock Road. I ate my first Gu (Salted Caramel) and took a SaltStick FastChew. The terrain was mostly downhill heading towards north Old Town Alexandria. I stopped for water in a small park and soon reached the Mount Vernon Trail, clocking 9:50 pace on my way.
For the next 6 miles or so, I cruised at around 10:00 pace, thinking mostly about the workday ahead. At Gravelly Point, I could finally stop for a bathroom break but none of the porta-potties had toilet paper! Instead, I had another Gu (Campfire S’mores – my favorite!) My next stop was Roosevelt Island where I sipped water from the sluggish fountain and had another salt pill.
In Rosslyn, I connected with the Custis Trail and finally used the bathroom in Gateway Park. Climbing the Lee Highway hill, a bicyclist pulled alongside me and remarked how sweaty I was. “Dude, I’m 15 miles into a 22-mile run.” But, he was correct – I was drenched. At the water fountain 17-miles into the run, I took a break and ate a Roctane Gu (Cherry Lime, which I found disgusting.)
When I reached the W&OD Trail with 3 miles to go, I knew I wouldn’t finish before 10 a.m., which is when I’m supposed to start work. I took another break at Bluemont Park and mentally prepared myself for the final two miles. With the heat, I slowed down and even walked two uphill stretches on my way home.
By the end of the run, the observed temperature at National Airport was 84 degrees with a heat index of 87 – one of my hottest long runs of the summer!
Interval Run
On Wednesday morning, I just wanted to sleep in. My partner and I had been dog-sitting for the past few days and found out the day before we needed to get tested for COVID-19. (See Health section below.) But, I willed myself to get ready for a run and left the house at 8 a.m. – too late to run my workout at the track now that school was starting.
For a warm-up, I ran over to the W&OD Trail and took a brief break at Bluemont Park before starting the 400m repeats.
The first repetition was faster than usual, which made me happy. During the recovery, a running friend who I haven’t seen in ages pulled alongside me! We chatted for a bit but when my next set started, he turned back for home. I did another set and then turned around at the Brandymore Castle historical marker. Instead of getting faster now that the terrain was downhill, the hard segments got slower. I didn’t think that was a good sign of improving fitness.
I averaged 3:59 for the six sets. I felt disappointed with the workout but reminded myself that I ran 22 miles just a few days earlier.
| Distance | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
400m (time) |
3:56 |
3:57 |
3:59 |
|
|
Set 4 |
Set 5 |
Set 6 |
|
|
4:00 |
4:01 |
4:03 |
Cross-training
Strides. I did strides at Thomas Jefferson Community Center twice this week – on Monday and Saturday. During those sessions, I also did a little sideways and backward running to work on my agility.
Health
Illness. COVID-19. On Monday afternoon, my boyfriend and I were notified by a friend we had over on Saturday that he tested positive for COVID-19! My boyfriend and I were both vaccinated so we weren’t immediately concerned but he didn’t feel well the next day and took a PCR test. I waited an additional day and took mine on Wednesday. My test came back negative on Friday and I felt very relieved.
Gear
GPS watches. Quick Release 20 MM Band. The clasp on my Garmin 645 Music tore this week and I bought a replacement band on Amazon. (I figured shipping would be quicker.) Switching out the band was simple – I hadn’t noticed the small pin on the band that snaps it out of place. I could have been changing my bands all along! There are three pieces in the package in case someone wants a longer or shorter band. Price: $29.99.
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Episode 414: What’s New With You with Keira D’Amato,” Ali on the Run. I tuned in to hear what the winner of the Up Dawg 10 Miler was up to these days. I was disappointed her hear about her recent injury but happy when she announced on the podcast that her 10-mile time was a world record for an all-female race!
Racing Schedule
Future races. When I registered for South Lakes 10K last Sunday, I opted to have my race packet shipped for an extra $6. I was surprised when it arrived on Tuesday! I really like this service and hope more races offer it.
Runner rankings. RunWashington’s DMV Distance Derby. My best times are:
- Teddy Roosevelt Island (1.4 miles): 10:08 (7:38 pace) on May 12, 2020.
- Custis Climb – Key Bridge to Glebe (3.1 miles): 25:47 (8:47 pace) on October 6, 2020.
- Hains Point (2.5 miles): 20:37 (8:13 pace) on November 26, 2020.
Next race: 2021 South Lakes 10K on Sunday, August 29th! Finally, a race! Goal is sub-52:00 (8:20 pace).
