2022 Erie Marathon – Week 7
Training Schedule
June 19th - June 25th
Sunday: Long Run. 14 miles
Monday: Rest or cross-training
Tuesday: Lactate-threshold Run. 10 miles w/5 miles @ 15K to half marathon race pace
Wednesday: Recovery Run. 5 miles
Thursday: Medium-long Run. 12 miles
Friday: Recovery Run, 5 miles
Saturday: General Aerobic Run + Speed. 7 miles w/8 x 100m strides
Total: ~53 Miles
Notes. This week starts the next training block – lactate threshold. I had a cold on Sunday and couldn’t do my long run. I needed extra recovery after the lactate-threshold run, and took an off day on Wednesday. On Saturday, I ran easy rather than pushing myself to general aerobic pace.
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
Lactate Threshold Run
After a weekend spent sick in bed, I felt well enough to run again. I stayed with the schedule and set out to run 5 miles at threshold pace. It was about 70 degrees when I started the workout at 6:47 am – a bit of a late start. (We hired a dog walker for Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so I didn’t have the added pressure of having to take our dog Meraz out for exercise.)
I ran two easy miles through the neighborhood as a warm-up at 9:30 pace – fast, but the route I took was mostly downhill. I started at an unusual location, but if I mapped the course out correctly, the course would be five continuous miles.
I ran for about a half-mile before reaching Four Mile Run Trail. The trail was closed ahead due to work on a spur of Glebe Road. I took the slight detour. My Garmin showed 8:44 pace and I was able to maintain that pace for the second mile, as well.
Three miles in on the Mount Vernon Trail near the airport, a co-worker, rode by. We exchanged a few words, and he kept going. My pace dropped a bit from the extra effort it took to talk. Leaving the trail and heading towards Crystal City, my pace dropped to 8:52. In the final few meters, in Long Bridge Park, I felt my lungs would burst from my chest, so I slowed to a shuffle. My last split was 9:26.
I jogged a painfully slow pace home – at times as slow as 12:00 pace – and ultimately made it in time for work. My time was a little disappointing, but considering I’d been sick, I probably shouldn’t have attempted this workout.
Medium-long Run
I had a 9 am training class yesterday and didn’t get this medium-long run in before I had to start working. Unfortunately, I woke up tired and didn’t want to do the run today either. But, I got a parking pass for work, which meant going forward, I could drive in and have some extra time in the morning. (Commuting by public transportation is about 45 minutes, driving is about 30.)
I wanted to listen to podcasts but my preferred player (PlayerFM) wasn’t working well so I listened to music instead. It put me in a much better mood.
From home, I ran to the middle school and crossed the pedestrian bridge to Arlington Boulevard Trail. I didn’t feel completely energized yet so I kept the pace slow in these early miles.
During the early miles, I felt my life was together for the first time in a while – a job that isn’t stressing me out, a comfortable home, a great partner, and most importantly, a parking pass! Will I even need to run-commute anymore?
My pace remained strong running up the Custis Trail – just above 10:00. I chose and 11 miles because I thought I wouldn’t feel up for 12. But, mid-way through the run, I kept going. Cruising dow the W&OD Trail, my pace was down to 9:00! The run was a great example of how easing into a run can have great rewards.
Health
Illnesses. I spent Sunday in bed, feeling horrible about missing my long run. But, I felt better by Monday and was ready to start training again on Tuesday.
Routes
Trails. Four Mile Run Trail. A construction project on West Glebe Road led to a short section of the trail being closed. Thankfully, an adjacent sidewalk to the trail made the detour distance negligible.
Racing Schedule
Future races. This week, I started thinking about lodging in Erie, Pennsylvania. If I want to stay near the park, I’ll want to go with an AirBnB as most hotels are either downtown or near the Splash Lagoon water park.
Next race: Anacostia Parkrun #150 on Saturday, July 30th. Goal is sub-24:00 (7:42 pace).
