This was the last week of Phase 3 of Daniel’s Running Formula’s half marathon training program! Meanwhile, I missed the registration deadline for the virtual London Marathon and after 22 weeks of teleworking, prepared to return to on-site in September.
Training Schedule
August 16th - August 22nd
Sunday: Marathon-pace Run. M run to total no more than 10% of weekly mileage, but at least 4 miles Monday: Easy Run. 5 miles Tuesday: Easy Run. 5 miles Wednesday: Interval Run. Repeated 5 min. runs @ H effort w/4-min. recovery jog Thursday: Threshold Run. Steady 20 min. run @ T pace + 4 x 200m R pace w/200m recovery jog Friday: Easy Run. 4 miles Saturday: Easy Run. 5 miles
Total: ~37 Miles
Notes. I skipped the last two easy runs to allow my sore Achilles Tendon to heal a bit.
Training paces
VDOT
Easy / Long
Marathon
Threshold
Repetition
38
9:56-11:06
9:15
8:33 (mile)
4:54 (1000m) / 0:54 (200m)
Workouts
Marathon-pace Run
Although the purpose of the run was marathon-paced mile, with the 2020 Virtual Boston Marathon only weeks away, I wanted to increase my distance some. When I left the house, it had just stopped raining but a mile in, it started again. “If I’d only left a little earlier, I would have missed it all together.”
In Ballston, I got on the Custis Trail. I stopped at the water fountain near the Beaver Pond and ate a S’mores Gu Energy Gel, which was delicious.
The first mile felt easy. Water poured off the brim of my visor but this was rainwater instead of sweat. The second, I had to work. I knew I only had two tough points – the ascent to Humpback Bridge and the pedestrian bridge by National Airport. I stopped just after my exit for Crystal City. The cool-down felt like forever but at the end, I felt good!
I couldn’t imagine running that hard for 26.2 miles but it felt like a good step in that direction.
I over-slept and because the forecast wasn’t showing a terribly hot day, decided to do my workout later in the day.
For a warm-up, I ran 2.3 miles to Pentagon Cityat around 10:00 pace. I walked about a quarter-mile and started the intervals in Crystal City. My goal for each 5-minute segment was to keep my pace under 8:00. Including recovery, each set was just under a mile. The first two were southbound on the Mount Vernon Trail and went smoothly. The final two were eastbound on the Four Mile Run Trail and by the time I reached the slight inclines after the water treatment facility, my legs were shuffling. I finished the segment by the Interstate 395 overpass.
The last workout of Phase 3 of the Daniel’s Running Formula half marathon training plan! But, I was a little slow to motivate and didn’t leave my apartment building until well after 8 a.m. However, the temperature was in the low 70s.
One-mile into the run, I took a right and headed east on the Four Mile Run Trail. The segment ended before the rail-trail met the sidewalk on South Glebe Road. I couldn’t help think about how months ago, I did my 2020 Runners Run Marathon after the 2020 Boston Marathon was cancelled. And now? I couldn’t see how I could finish the virtual run.
After the workout, I decided I was done with this training cycle!
Bicycling. On Friday, I used my lunch break to explore how I might get to the office… After months of teleworking, I would be returning to the office soon. I saw a lot of police activity at the Penagon City Mall.
That wasn’t my only ride this week, though. On Wednesday evening, my boyfriend and I took a leisurely tour around the neighborhood before dinner.
Health
Injuries. Achilles Tendonitis. The Achilles tendon on my right heel is still painful to the touch, so I decided to end the training cycle a couple of days early to allow it to heal a little.
Podcasts. “Episode 196: Adapt Your Training during COVID Times with Frank Shorter and Ben Rosario,” Running Rogue. Although the title of the episode suggested it was mostly about running during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a free-ranging conversation with two legends in the sport. The two pieces of advice that I plan to implement were: work on your strengths not just your weaknesses (40:02 mark) and for building weaknesses, do workouts that are attainable on that day (47:10 mark).
Racing Schedule
Future races.London Marathon. I missed the deadline to join the Virtual London Marathon! Initially, I was disappointed then I remembered that I already did a “virtual marathon” or sorts back in April, Besides, I want my first “London Marathon” to be in London.