2023 New York City Marathon – Week 10
Training Schedule
September 3rd - September 9th
Sunday: Long Run. 15 miles
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Wednesday: Speed Run. 3 x 1600m w/600m recoveries
Thursday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Friday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run. 4 miles
Total: ~45 Miles
Notes. The long run leading into Week 10 of the Hansons Marathon Method is 15 miles. I also consulted the book on how to schedule races. The coach recommended eliminating the threshold run ahead of the race, which I did. It was another low-mileage week, and I finished it wondering, How am I going to salvage this training cycle? But maybe tomorrow’s race will show me that dismal thinking is premature.
Training paces
| Recovery | Easy | Long | Marathon | Strength | 5K-10K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
No faster than 11:15 |
10:00-10:40 |
9:30-9:50 |
8:45-9:05 |
8:30-8:50 |
7:40-8:00 |
Workouts
Long Run
The beautiful fall-like weather was over. The weather forecast showed it would already be 80 degrees – my melting point – by 10 a.m. I decided to do 10 miles outside and then 8 miles on the treadmill.
From home, I ran to National Landing, listening to a Running Rogue podcast to occupy my mind. I ran south on the Mount Vernon Trail for a mile. I could feel the sun on my shoulders and was glad I planned to split this run into outside and inside portions. I turned west on the Four Mile Run Trail and took my sunglasses off for a bit because the sun was behind me. Still not feeling the need for motivational music, I switched to an I’ll Have Another podcast at the overlook. Usually, the sun is beating down so strongly on the W&OD Trail that I wilt, but I continued running strong.
I finished the run at 10:18 a.m. and was back on the treadmill by 10:28 a.m. My initial pace was relatively easy, but after about 15 minutes, I returned to the effort I was running outside.
On Zwift, I chose the “11.1 Ocean Boulevard” route because it was approximately 7 miles. At one point, I was marveling at the developer’s attention to detail. It was raining on the screen, and when I ran under a bridge, it stopped, only to restart again when I came out the other side!
I didn’t feel as beat up as I thought I would have if I ran outside, which was a little troubling, but I think it was still the right choice.
Speed Run
For a warm-up, I ran east on the W&OD Trail to Shirlington.
As I started the intervals, I noticed the Four Mile Run Trail was closed ahead. I thought the construction was over! I paused briefly at the intersection with Glebe Road and then jaywalked to continue at 5K-10K pace. The interval was just under 8:00 pace, which was good.
I set my Garmin to lap for the second mile at 8 minutes and 10 seconds rather than distance because the Route 1 overpass messes up the measurement. But I realized I was running slower than that. I ran a minute on the Mount Vernon Trail before turning around. I pushed the pace as hard as possible, and the lap was exactly a mile. I ran so hard that I ran the last repetition at “It’s Too Hot” pace – just under 9:00. I ran a prolonged cool-down home, wondering if this marathon cycle had gone off the rails.
The next day, I attempted a 6-mile easy run but only got 3 miles in before I began to struggle. When I left the house, it was already 80 degrees, but I thought I would be fine. I ended up walking home almost 3 miles.
On Friday, I spent the morning doing random chores around the house and didn’t run at all. Skipping workouts was unlike me, and I had to ask myself, What is going on?
Health
Illnesses. I came home Monday night feeling like I did have COVID after all. But I felt better the following day. I felt slightly sick all week – tired with a cough and slight headache – until about Thursday, when it finally cleared.
Routes
Trails. “West Glebe Road Bridge Ribbon Cutting,” Finally! This construction disrupted the Four Mile Run Trail for years. I am hoping next Tuesday’s ribbon cutting signals the end of it.
Clothing
Tops – Singlets. Saucony Stopwatch Graphic Singlet. In June, I started looking for a singlet for the 2023 New York City Marathon. I’ve succeeded with Saucony and was hopeful this would be a winner, but it has a few downsides. The fabric is stiffer than I like and a little loose around my collar. But, the cut of it is great. It’s also a reasonable price. Price: $32.
Media & Motivation
Podcasts. “Episode 328: Should I Do a Prep Race (Or Not)“, Running Rogue. I started this podcast disagreeing strongly with both hosts because they seemed to take a black-and-white perspective on “tune-up” races. The most important reason missed: racing is fun! If it weren’t for racing, I wouldn’t be a runner. Even though I enjoy the training process, it would be joyless if I went four months – the standard length of a marathon cycle without racing.
Racing Schedule
Next race
2023 George Washington Patriot Run (10 Miler), Sunday, September 10th. Goal is 1:22:00 (8:12 pace). The weather forecast is a little warm – low 70s at the start!
Future races
- 2023 Army Ten Miler, Sunday, October 8th. Goal is 1:20:00 (8:00 pace).
- 2023 New York City Marathon, Sunday, November 5th. Goal is 3:44:00 (8:33 pace).
