Fall of 2020 – Week 12
After a fantastic long run on Sunday, I did a mini-taper before running the Alexandria (Virtual) Turkey Trot on Thursday. My course was a 5-mile loop around the Tidal Basin and Hains Point. Next up: a recovery week before training for an undetermined spring marathon.
Training Schedule
November 22nd - November 27th
Sunday: Long Run. 15 miles
Monday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Tuesday: Easy Run. 5 miles (AM) + Weight training (PM)
Wednesday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Thursday: 2020 Alexandria Virtual Turkey Trot 5 Miler
Friday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Saturday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Total: ~45 Miles
Notes. I only did one weight training session this week. With a spike in Covid-19 cases in the region and people traveling for Thanksgiving, I thought it best to avoid the gym for a few weeks.
Training paces
| Recovery | Easy / Long | Marathon | Threshold | Repetition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Slower than 9:40 |
9:25-9:40 |
8:55-9:10 |
8:25-8:40 |
7:40-7:50 (5K) |
Workouts
Long Run
I didn’t sleep well the night before and didn’t head out the door until 9:30 a.m.
The delay meant nicer running weather with temperature in the low 50s.
I ran through Crystal City on my way to the Mount Vernon Trail. My legs felt awesome but I knew that wasn’t an indication of how the run would go. I listened to my 2021 London Marathon Playlist for added inspiration.
At Gravelly Point, a cyclist said “Hi” to me but I didn’t catch who it was. I continued along running just under 9:00 pace along the Potomac River.
In Rosslyn, I crossed over to the Custis Trail. At the light, I ate the three Gu Energy Chews that I had left over from last week and hoped that would be enough fuel for this run. At the top of Lee Highway, my overall pace was at 9:15, which was great considering how steep that climb was!
I rolled on for another 3 miles and then stopped for water at the W&OD Trail. On the downhill portion leading to Columbia Pike, I put my arms out and let the grade carry me to a sub-8:30 pace finish!
I didn’t expect to have my fastest long run of the year but I was grateful for it! When I started this training block, I just wanted to run 15 miles.
2020 Alexandria Virtual Turkey Trot 5 Miler
On Thanksgiving Day morning, I woke up just after 6 a.m. While drinking coffee, I plotted out a route for this virtual race and a playlist.
There had been rain in the forecast earlier in the week but when I woke up, it seemed it light enough for a good run. The temperature was around 63 degrees and winds were out of the southwest at 13 mile per hour.
I parked at Gravelly Point and used the porta-potty before starting my warm-up on the Mount Vernon Trail to the 14th Street Bridge. About 17 minutes later, I arrived at The Tidal Basin. After taking a few pictures, I was off!
From the Ohio Drive Bridge, I started out clockwise around The Tidal Basin. I curled around the road leading to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and onto Independence Avenue and immediately felt a head wind. The time for my first mile split was 7:50!
A mile-and-a-half into the run, I entered the north end of Hains Point. Soon, I was running behind a woman who was going slightly faster than me and passing her became my motivation for the rest of the run.
After the gate, the woman turned right and I kept straight. At Long Bridge, my Garmin showed 5 miles but I let it record a little long to avoid a 4.99 mile data file. Then, I stopped the Strava app. I thought it was interesting that the data from the Strava app resulted in a longer distance even though I started recording later.
I ran my cool-down back over the 14th Street Bridge to Gravelly Point.
Cross-training
Weight training. I was already planning to make Tuesday my last trip to the gym due to a spike in Covid-19 cases in the region and people traveling for Thanksgiving. Scanning the gym, there were at least a half dozen people not wearing masks or wearing them improperly, and I knew I made the right decision. I did a 30-minute all-body routine that included leg presses, squats, dumbbell curls, and seated cable rows.
Routes
Memorials. U.S. National Arboretum. On Friday, my boyfriend and I drove to these grounds in northeast Washington, DC for a post-Thanksgiving jog. It’s a hidden gym for local runners but I’ve never been for a run or otherwise. The highlight of the trip was seeing the National Capitol Columns. where were relocated here after a renovation to the U.S. Capitol Building.
Media & Motivation
Websites and blogs. “D’Amato Breaks 10 Miler Record in DIY Race in D..C.“, RunWashington. I devour almost every event highlighting elite running these days and this one was in my area. The location was kept secret but I could immediately tell it was in Anacostia Park. I left before the end because the Facebook feed failed on me, but I was excited to see later that she broke the record.
Racing Schedule
Runner rankings. RunWashington’s DMV Distance Derby. My best times are:
- Teddy Roosevelt Island (1.4 miles): 10:08 (7:38 pace) on May 12, 2020.
- Custis Climb – Key Bridge to Glebe (3.1 miles): 25:47 (8:47 pace) on October 6, 2020.
- Hains Point (2.5 miles): 20:37 (8:13 pace) on November 26, 2020.
Next race: ?
