2023 New York City Marathon – Week 4
Training Schedule
July 23rd - July 29th
Sunday: Long Run. 10 miles
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Speed Run. 6 x 800m w/400m recoveries
Wednesday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Thursday: Threshold Run. 6 miles @ marathon pace
Friday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run. 8 miles
Total: ~47 Miles
Notes. The long run for Week 4 of the Hansons Marathom Method plan is 10 miles, but I added 4 miles to the distance. Thursday’s threshold run was on the treadmill, so the exact distance and pace are unknown. On Saturday, I ran 6 miles easy instead of 8 because I have been running my long runs longer than prescribed.
Training paces
| Recovery | Easy | Long | Marathon | Strength | 5K-10K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
No faster than 11:30 |
10:00-10:40 |
9:30-9:50 |
8:45-9:05 |
8:30-8:50 |
7:40-8:00 |
Workouts
Long Run
It was a beautiful morning, and I regretted not getting up early enough to take advantage of the relatively cool temperatures. Instead, my boyfriend and I had dinner the night before, and after taking the dogs out and relaxing, I didn’t sleep until around 11 p.m. After having a bowl of oatmeal, some coffee, and taking the dogs out, I left the house a little after 7:30 a.m.
I didn’t feel quite myself during the early miles to the Arlington Boulevard Trail. My pace was just above 10:00. I checked in with my body and questioned, “What doesn’t feel right? Legs or lungs?” This time, it was legs.
In Rosslyn, after 4 miles of running, I cut over to the Mount Vernon Trail and headed south. I increased my pace a bit. I knew more portions of the trail would be in the direct sun.
Leaving Gravelly Point, I started a Crank Sport eGel for extra energy.
At Mile 9, I headed west on the Four Mile Run Trail. I got lucky – there was enough cloud cover that I didn’t feel like I was baking. I stopped for a bathroom break in Jennie Dean Park and went to the W&OD Trail.
The run was exactly 14 miles. I walked the dog and had brunch with my boyfriend.
Speed Run
I had a 9 a.m. call at work, and I guessed I should leave the house before 6:30 a.m. to finish before 8:00 a.m., which would give me enough time to commute. Luckily, I have a dog walker on Tuesdays, eliminating that task.
From home, I did the 1.5 mile warm-up to the Wakefield High School Track. Based on past workouts, I thought I should aim for 7:30-7:50 pace. Mentally, I broke the activity into thirds and would take a brief water break after every two sets. Fortunately, the workout went well and didn’t feel like a struggle. The Arlington County Fire Department was doing drills and probably provided additional motivation.
When I finished the workout, I recognized my boyfriend by the water fountain! He said he’d run about seven laps but I hadn’t seen him. We jogged home together, though.
800m/400m: 3:45/3:05 (set 1), 3:46/3:12 (set 2), 3:51/3:00 (set 3), 3:52/3:15 (set 4), 3:50/3:10 (set 5), 3:51/2:59 (set 6).
Average 800m=3:49 (7:39 pace)
Threshold Run
I knew it was likely to be 80 degrees before 8 a.m., when I typically finish my runs so I planned on doing this workout on my treadmill.
My primary dilemma was how to approach it. I thought about the goal of marathon-pace training and concluded the purpose was to get my body used to running at a slightly uncomfortable pace. So, I decided to run by heart rate. My average heart rate was about 20 seconds lower on the treadmill than on the roads, so I planned to keep my heart rate in that range.
I ran a 4-mile warm-up outside and my heart rate was fairly elevated when I started the run. I chose to run the “Hilly Route” in Zwift because it was 5.7 miles, which is how long I thought it would take.
About 20 minutes into the run, I realized I was home alone and put the emergency release on the treadmill. But I ran strong and finished feeling like it was an equivalent workout to being outside.
Routes
Parks. Jennie Dean Park. During this week’s long run, I stopped at this park, which Arlington County, Virginia, completed during the COVID-19 pandemic for a bathroom break. The park is located just south of the beginning of the W&OD Trail and north of Mile 5 of the Four Mile Run Trail in Shirlington. There are three bathrooms and a year-round water fountain.
Gear
Handheld water bottles. Nathan Exodraw 2.0 Insulated Handheld. I ventured out without a water bottle for the first few weeks of this training cycle. But, in the past week, I’ve been carrying this one. It’s not my favorite – the strap is loose, so I find myself gripping the bottle as I run – but it’s the best I’ve discovered recently. Price: $55
Nutrition
Energy gels. Crank Sport eGel. I’ve also started taking energy gels during my long runs this week. This brand is my favorite for the summer running because it has electrolytes – 230 mg of sodium and 85 mg of potassium. It also has great flavors. Price: $59.00 for 30.
Racing Schedule
Next race
2023 George Washington Patriot Run (10 Miler), Sunday, September 10th. Goal is 1:20:00 (8:00 pace).
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).
