2022 Erie Marathon – Week 18
Training Schedule
September 4th - September 10th
Sunday: Medium-long Run. 13 miles
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Recovery Run. 7 miles
Wednesday: Dress rehearsal. 7 mi w/ 2 mi @ marathon race pace
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Recovery Run + speed. 5 mi w/ 6 x 100 m strides
Saturday: Recovery Run. 4 miles
Total: ~36 Miles
Notes. Race week!
I followed the Pfitz 55-75 miles/week plan for the final week except I took an additional rest day on Thursday. On Friday, I would leave for Erie, Pennsylvania!
Training paces
| Recovery | Long | General Aerobic | Marathon | Threshold | 5K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
No faster than 10:25 |
9:55-10:10 |
9:10-9:45 |
8:40-8:55 |
7:55-8:10 |
7:30-7:40 |
Workouts
Long Run
My boyfriend and I were out late the night before celebrating a dear friend’s anniversary. I woke up at around seven and rushed out the door before 8. That would give me two hours to finish this run before the temperature hit 80 degrees.
Slowly, I ran to Pentagon City. Street traffic was light, so it was an enjoyable time. My pace was just under 10:00. I listened to my 2022 Erie Marathon playlist. I stopped to change the order of some songs.
I arrived at the Mount Vernon Trail. I got in an exchange with a bicyclist in Gravelly Point. He repeatedly yelled, “On your left,” when I was about as far to the right as I could. As he passed, I said something to that effect.
By the time I reached Rosslyn, my overall pace was around 9:50. Climbing the Custis Trail, I felt pretty strong. I stopped for water at Nelson Street and refilled my water bottle. I thought, Completing that segment in 10:30 pace was not bad at all. In Ballston, I ran down to George Mason Drive feeling strong but controlled.
Dress Rehearsal
I didn’t have a 7-mile route, so I created one where I would have an uninterrupted 2-mile stretch. Iran north to the Custis Trail and got ready to run the marathon-pace segment.
I set the pace range in my Garmin to see if 8:55 pace felt comfortable. Surprisingly, it did! I hit the first mile in 8:50 pace. I continued running downhill on the W&OD Trail through Bluemont Park. The second mile was 8:51 pace. What a confidence booster!
For the cool-down, I stayed on the W&OD Trail until I reached the turn-off to my neighborhood. I thought about walking the steep uphills but decided just to run them. There was no point in taking shortcuts at this late stage of marathon training!
Recovery Run + Speed
My last run on my home turf! The final miles on familiar roads are always an emotional run for me as I think about all the hard work I’ve done over the past four months. I ran north on George Mason Drive at a 9:45 pace from home. I was happy to do this stretch a mile slower earlier in the summer. At the Bluemont Trail, I turned west. Many people were out, and I smiled at everyone I passed. I linked up with the W&OD Trail, and my pace dropped close to 9:00. After 4.3 miles, I stopped and ran strides. I saw some deer crossing the trail.
I ran home on Columbia Pike. Along the way, I grabbed a broken piece of sidewalk that I could carry with me on race day. I would need every bit of motivation that I could find.
Routes
Construction. “Construction Starting Next Week on Upgraded I-395 and Boundary Channel Drive Interchange,” Arlnow. I am looking forward to an alternative route from the southern portion of Arlington, Virginia to Washington, DC. I just fear it’s taking so long that by the time it’s completed, I’ll be running less and unable to take advantage!
Parks. Presque Isle State Park. On Saturday, I was able to run in the park where the Erie Marathon would take place.
From the park entrance, the road goes 3.7 miles on the Lake Erie side of the park until a split. The shoulder is wide enough for runners and bicyclists to share the road. Then, a loop around the island is about 5.7 miles. It takes runners on the island’s bayside and includes the Perry Monument. There are several bathroom facilities along the way,
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Episode 287: On Dreaming Big and Broken Hearts with Kara Goucher,” Running Rogue. This episode gave me a few things to mull over going into the Erie Marathon. I’ve had a lot of disappointing races – this marathon could be another on the list. But, I only regret running a handful of them. Out of the hundreds of races I’ve run, that’s not a bad percentage.
Racing Schedule
Future races. I left work early on Friday so my boyfriend, his daughters, and I could drive to Erie, Pennsylvania. It was a long drive, and I became more nervous about the race with every mile!
Next race: 2022 Erie Marathon on Sunday, September 11th. Goal is 3:54:00 (8:56 pace). For months, I had 3:51:59 (8:52 pace) as my goal, but as race day drew closer, I thought one minute under my Boston Marathon qualifying time was more realistic.
