Sunday: Long Run. 8 miles Monday: Off Tuesday: Speed Run. 5 x 1000m w/400m recoveries Wednesday: Easy Run. 6 miles Thursday: Threshold Run. 6 miles @ marathon pace Friday: Easy Run. 7 miles Saturday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Total: ~44 Miles
Notes. The long run leading into Week 5 of the Hansons Marathon Method is 8 miles, but I continued adding mileage and tried for 13 miles this week.
Training paces
Recovery
Easy
Long
Marathon
Strength
5K-10K
No faster than 11:40
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 stressful and emotional morning. Through Ancestry.com, I discovered a close relative I knew existed but couldn’t find through other means. Now that I’m in touch with her, I’ve been stressed about how to establish a relationship. What am I going to say to her after all these years? But I tried to put all that aside and headed out for my run before 7:30 a.m.
A thunderstorm hit the region the night before, but it was a lovely day for a run.
Before reaching Rosslyn on the Trollheim Bridge, I passed my first downed tree from yesterday’s storms.
Before the long uphill at the start of the Custis Trail, I stopped to text my relative about our call. She said she wouldn’t be able to talk until 3 p.m., which took the stress off of me finishing my run at a specific time.
I passed two more fallen trees after turning right at Langston Boulevard. I encountered at least six more trees until I left the trail in Ballston!
When I arrived back in my neighborhood, I thought about running more, but the goal wasn’t to exhaust myself.
I arrived home a few minutes after 10 o’clock, so I wouldn’t have been home in time for my call. But I managed to call my relative later that afternoon.
In addition to the family drama causing stress, I’m presenting at a conference in the Netherlands in two weeks. If it wasn’t enough that I haven’t finished my PowerPoint slides and notes, I haven’t finalized my travel arrangements either! But despite it all, I’m getting my workout done.
I left my house at 6:45 a.m.
After a short warm-up, I arrived at Wakefield High School Track. The usual crowd was there – a coach training a client, an older woman with a walker, and three or four runners doing a speed workout.
The workout was going well – my splits were very consistent. But by the fourth repetition, the high school football team arrived at the track for practice, and I started losing my concentration.
The workout felt too easy, though. I should have pushed myself a little more.
Last week, the hot weather led me to run this workout on the treadmill. But thunderstorms from the weekend brought cooler weather for today!
I ran a two-mile warm-up to Shirlington on the W&OD Trailand started the marathon-pace segment on the Four Mile Run Trail near I-395.
The first mile was just under 9:00 pace. It felt fast, but I thought it was something I could maintain. The second mile ended at the Route 1 overpass, which messed up the split. I continued north on the Mount Vernon Trail, and when the third mile was also around 9:00 pace, I felt good about the effort. The final mile was 9:08 pace, but overall, it was great pacing!
Anti-chafing. Body Glide. I’ve been having more chaffing issues this summer than most. In addition to Body Glide, I’ve been slathering petroleum jelly on my bra and shorts lines. But I’m finding it wasn’t enough on most post-run showers.
Electrolytes. SaltStick FastChews. The heat has been so intense that I’ve been taking salt tablets on my long runs. Two tablets have 100 mg sodium and 30 mg potassium, but I typically take one at a time.
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:…
Training Schedule July 16th - July 22nd Sunday: Long Run. 12 miles Monday: Off Tuesday: Speed Run. 8 x 600m w/400m recoveries Wednesday: Easy Run. 6 miles Thursday:…
Training Schedule July 9th - July 15th Sunday: Long Run. 12 miles Monday: Off Tuesday: Speed Run. 12 x 400m @ 5K pace w/400m recoveries Wednesday: Easy Run.…