2023 New York City Marathon – Week 14
Training Schedule
October 1st - October 7th
Sunday: Long Run. 16 miles
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Strength Run. 2 x 3 miles w/800m recoveries
Wednesday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Thursday: Threshold Run. 9 miles @ marathon pace
Friday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Saturday: Off
Total: ~52 Miles
Notes. I started the week sick, so I ignored the schedule and concentrated on getting better. I felt well enough to run on Monday but used the rule of thumb to wait an extra day. I ran easy on Tuesday and Wednesday and then ran the scheduled mileage on Thursday.
This entire training block has been so inconsistent that I don’t know that I can say I’m following the Hansons Marathon Method anymore.
Training paces
| Recovery | Aerobic | Long | Marathon | Strength | 5K-10K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
No faster than 11:40 |
10:40-11:40 |
10:05-10:25 |
9:35-9:55 |
9:25-9:45 |
8:45-9:05 |
Workouts
Threshold Run
On Tuesday, I felt well enough to run 4 miles easy. On Wednesday, I increased the distance to 6 miles. By Thursday, I was ready to resume training. But, instead of doing a 9-mile marathon-pace run, I decided to run the distance of the entire workout instead – 13 miles.
It was a chilly day, so I wore a long-sleeve shirt!
From home, I ran to Crystal City and joined the Mount Vernon Trail. It felt great running again! I noticed my pace was around 9:30 – a bit fast so early in the run – but I rationalized that it was cooler outside.
After two miles, I stopped for a photo opportunity at the Humpback Bridge.
Another mile later, I took a picture of the lovely flowers in front of the Memorial Bridge. I was still running around 9:20, but it honestly felt comfortable.
I ran north for another 2 miles before joining the Custis Trail. I knew I would slow down on the steep climb on Langston Boulevard, but it didn’t go much under 11-minute pace.
I left that trail in Ballston and headed downhill on neighborhood streets. By now, I was running low;9:00 pace! How fast I ran shocked me, but it didn’t feel too hard.
Health
Illnesses. COVID-19. Last week, I hadn’t been feeling well, and I started the week knowing I had COVID, having tested positive on Saturday. I couldn’t believe this happened when I should be hitting my peak mileage! I was also in disbelief that this same dynamic is happening – I also caught COVID a month before the 2021 Boston Marathon in October. It wasn’t a great race, but I was able to finish, which made me feel a bit more relieved.
Routes
Construction. Sparrow Pond Restoration. This week, my 8-mile run took me past the Four Mile Run Trail/W&OD Trail where this construction occurs. Until this week, it looked rather innocuous, but I noticed workers ripping up the trail. I’ll need to keep an eye open for what is happening. I may need to find an alternative route at some point. The Blumont Junction Trail, which is slated to get some repairs, could be an alternative.
Parks. Crystal City Water Park. This water park is on the way to the Mount Vernon Trail from Crystal City. It’s been under construction for a while and opened this week. The county removed the water fountain during construction. Now, there’s a new one and restrooms!
Racing Schedule
Next race
2023 Army Ten Miler, Sunday, October 8th. Goal is 1:20:00 (8:00 pace).
Future races
2023 New York City Marathon, Sunday, November 5th. Goal is 3:44:00 (8:33 pace). As marathon day grows closer, it’s becoming more apparent that I’ll need to adjust my expected finish time.
2024 Ottawa Marathon. Sunday, May 26th, The reality of missing the Boston Marathon by 5 seconds sunk in quickly, and I started to look for spring marathons this week. Initially, I thought I’d run the Two Rivers Marathon or Shamrock. But, after doing more research, I settled on the Ottawa Marathon! It will give my boyfriend and I a chance to visit Quebec, which we’ve talked about for a while. A May marathon also allows me to run the George Washington Parkway Classic on April 28th, a local favorite that I’ve never done.
