2022 Erie Marathon – Week 4
Training Schedule
May 29th - June 4th
Sunday: Rest or cross-train
Monday: Medium-long Run. 15 miles
Tuesday: Recovery Run. 4 miles
Wednesday: General Aerobic Run + Speed. 9 miles w/6 x 10 sec. hill sprints + 8 x 100m strides
Thursday: Recovery Run. 5 miles
Friday: Medium-long Run. 12 miles
Saturday: Recovery Run. 5 miles
Total: ~50 Miles
Notes. Last week, my boyfriend and I traveled to Atlanta for my niece’s high school graduation. To accommodate the trip and with Monday being the Memorial Day Holiday, I ran long on Monday. Looking at the schedules, the key workouts are: 1) long run, 2) general aerobic run, 3) medium run.
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
In the waning minutes of my niece’s graduation party, I got stung in my ankles by a few mosquitos. As a result, my ankles had swollen. Still, I was excited for this run because it would be the first long run of this training cycle that I’d do outside.
I ran on neighborhood roads at 9:30 pace, listening to an episode of This American Life.
In Rosslyn, I stopped for a bathroom break at Gateway Park. I startled a homeless woman who was cleaning up in the sink. I wished her well when I exited.
On the Mount Vernon Trail, I stopped for water at Roosevelt Island and ate a Gu Energy Gel.
Running on the unshaded parts of the trail, I realized how hot it was and slowed down to 10:oo pace.
Running by National Airport, I passed two peletons of black cyclists. A few gave me head nods. I thought, Representation matters.
The sun was intense on the Four Mile Run Trail. I stopped for shade at Glebe Road and ate another Gu. Three more miles to go. I can do this!
At the W&OD Trail, I stopped for water again, knowing that running without a water bottle was a mistake. The sun was blazing now, and I slowed down.
At Columbia Pike, I walked over to the water fountain for a prolonged break before the final stretch home.
When I finished the run, the temperature had climbed to 75 degrees – warm, but summer was just getting starting!
General Aerobic Run
It was already an uncomfortable 76 degrees when I left the house.
I started off running slowly through neighborhood streets, noting how many buildings were under construction or were soon to be.
I ran through Pentagon City and Crystal City to the Mount Vernon Trail. My Garmin showed I was running just over 9:00 pace, but with the tall buildings, I knew the reading was often wrong. As expected, once I was on the trail, it showed my pace was closer to 9:20. After about 5 miles, I turned onto the Four Mile Run Trail. I kept the effort about the same even though I sometimes struggled in this part of the course.
I ended the general aerobic pace segment on the W&OD Trail at “Superman Hill” – a steep section of Walter Reed Drive in South Arlington – and did the planned hill sprints. But, I was so rushed for time that I skipped the strides.
Medium-long Run
I telework on Thursdays, which gives me a little more time to squeeze in a medium-long run during the week before starting my workday. When I left the house a little after 6 o’clock, the temperature was in the upper 60s.
I ran south through the Green Valley neighborhood – another area undergoing a good deal of construction to the W&OD Trail. I would be on this trail for 4 miles, running slightly uphill. I kept the pace easy – around 10:00. I stopped for water at every opportunity, knowing the temperature would rise. I turned off on the Custis Trail, and continued climbing for another mile until Glebe Road, where there are a few steep downhills.
Clothing
Shoes. Mizuno Wave Rider 25 Waveknit. Last summer, I had issues with my feet and couldn’t run in my favorite shoe – the Mizuno Wave Rider. I tried several high-cushion shoes but didn’t love any of them. This summer, I’ve been pleasantly surprised that this shoe feels best under my feet once again. It’s firm underfoot but not too heavy. I also like the ventilation that the “Waveknit” provides. Price: $140.00
Gear
GPS Watch Bands. Colapoo Multi-colored Watch Bands. Because I started wearing my Garmin 245 even when I wasn’t running, I thought it would be fun to match the band to whatever I was wearing that day. These bands are so easy to take on and off that I could do it every day. Price: $16.99
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Episode 522: LIVE with Des Linden at the Bayshore Marathon,” Ali on the Run. This episode was a lively and light-hearted conversation with one of America’s favorite marathoners. My favorite training-related parts were when the host asked Des Linden to give race advice to the marathoners. Des didn’t shy away from telling those runners who hadn’t properly trained to moderate their expectations.
Racing Schedule
Next race: Anacostia Parkrun #150 on Saturday, July 30th. Goal is sub-24:00 (7:42 pace).
