2023 New York City Marathon – Week 8
Training Schedule
August 20th - August 26th
Sunday: Long Run. 14 miles
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Speed Run. 3 x 1600m w/600m recoveries
Wednesday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Thursday: Threshold Run. 7 miles @ marathon pace
Friday: Easy Run. 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run. 10 miles
Total: ~53 Miles
Notes. I will be in Brussels, Belgium for my long run on Sunday. The long run leading into Week 8 of the Hansons Marathon Method plan is 14 miles. For Monday through Friday, I would be in Rotterdam. I’ve been suffering from jetlag and not sleeping well, but I would try to log as much mileage as my body would allow.
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
I was attending a conference in Rotterdam this week but took a weekend trip to Brussels. Before my trip, I researched where I could do my long run. I knew a loop down Rue de la Loi to Parc de Bruxelles and back up Rue Belliard to Parc du Cinquantenaire should be 4 miles.
When I left the hotel around 10 a.m., it was probably 70 degrees.
After running for over a mile, I reached the Royal Palace of Brussels.
I turned left and thought I was on Belliard, but something didn’t seem right. I checked Google Maps, and it confirmed that I was lost. I backtracked and got back on route.
Almost 4 miles into the run, I finally found Park Cirquantenaire!
I got lost again after I rounded the park and went back and forth while consulting Google Maps. I was near the European Union Building, so I knew I was close to my hotel. With all the misdirections, my first lap was 6 miles!
On the second lap, I didn’t get lost at all. On the third lap, I felt confident enough in the route that I ran it relatively fast – 9:22 pace.
I finished the run a little after 11:00 a.m. I planned to take the 11:49 a.m. train back to Rotterdam, but realized I didn’t give myself enough time. Instead, I took the 12:49 p.m. train and returned in time for a 3:45 p.m. meeting.
Threshold Run
On Monday, I did an easy run to find Kralingse Bos, a park I researched before my trip. On Tuesday, I was still jetlagged and took another recovery day.
Usually, my next hard workout is speed, but I decided to do the marathon-pace workout instead because I felt so well-rested.
The skies were a little overcast, but the temperature was a pleasant 65 degrees.
From my hotel, I ran a two-mile warm-up to the park.
I started the loop around the park clockwise. I wasn’t sure about running etiquette of sharing the trail with walkers. There were many people out with their dogs unleashed – including a greyhound! (Americans are discouraged from letting their greyhounds run off-leash in an open area.)
In my last outdoor marathon-pace workout, my pace averaged slightly below 9:00. I was surprised my first few miles came in at 8:45, but I thought it was probably because the weather was cooler. I managed to maintain the pace, and finished the workout thinking maybe my goal pace for the marathon – 8:33 pace – is achievable.
I lingered at the park for a while, admiring the people enjoying the beach before setting off for an easy cool-down back to my hotel.
Speed Run
I felt pretty good when I woke up on Thursday and decided to do a speed workout, even though that would mean running two hard days in a row.
Confident in my surroundings after several days of running in Rotterdam, I ran a relaxed warm-up to Kralingse Bos.
At the park, I started my first interval set running clockwise. The first mile ended near the restaurant. I paused to take a picture of the lake but didn’t stop by Garmin because the split was pretty fast anyway – 7:45.
After startling a woman by passing on the right, I became anxious again about the running etiquette here. My second interval was so much slower than the first that I thought perhaps my Garmin was off. I felt I was running as fast as the first set, but my pace didn’t show it. But, when I started the third set exactly where I ended the first, I knew the readings were accurate. I chalked it up to my tired legs, having one good set but not three.
I ran my cool-down back to the hotel, knowing that was probably my last workout at Kralingse Bos as I would return home tomorrow.
1600m/600m: 7:45/4:34 (set 1), 8:10/4:24 (set 2), 8:09/4:21 (set 3).
Average 1600m=8:01 (8:01 pace)
Health
Sleep. I flew home on Friday. I had hoped I could get up early enough to run, but the airport advised arriving 3 hours before departure.
I enjoyed visiting The Netherlands and getting to know the Dutch people.
Routes
Parks. Kralingse Bos. Before traveling to The Netherlands, I consulted the Strava Global Heatmap on where to run, but it wasn’t helpful for a country with so many bicyclists. But, through Reddit and the New York City Marathon training group on Facebook, I learned about this park.
Running to the park and avoiding bicycles and cars was hard. But, once I was there, it was easy to navigate. There are wood stumps in the ground, noting the running trail. And there was a water spigot and two sets of bathrooms at the start area.
Park Cirquantenaire. Knowing I would visit Brussels for the weekend, I also consulted a Reddit thread on running there and asked on Facebook. The park isn’t particularly large, but it’s located downtown and easy to find. One thing that I particularly liked because I was visiting in the summer was the trees! I also noticed there was a track there.
Racing Schedule
Next race
2023 George Washington Patriot Run (10 Miler), Sunday, September 10th. Goal is 1:22:00 (8:12 pace).
Future races
New York City Marathon. I learned from Facebook that the race organizers changed the Green Wave to the Pink Wave! (On the course map, it looks Red.)
- 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 3:50:00 (8:47 pace).
